In traditional metal typesetting, this means lines of type placed directly against one another without any strips of lead inserted between them. The resulting text block is dense and dark on the page. In digital layout, it refers to text where the leading equals the point size, such as 10-point type set on 10-point leading.
Heard on the job
Set the fine print solid so it fits at the bottom of the page.
Insider tip
Setting text solid saves space but makes long paragraphs hard to read, especially in wide columns.