line1
n.
- a long, narrow mark or band.
▸Mathematics a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth.
▸a wrinkle in the skin.
▸a contour or outline as a feature of design.
▸a curve connecting all points having a common property on a map or graph.
▸
[as modifier]
Printing & Computing denoting an image consisting of lines and solid areas, with no gradation of tone.
▸informal a dose of cocaine laid out in a line ready to be taken.
▸each of (usually five) horizontal lines forming a stave in musical notation.
- a length of cord, wire, etc. serving a purpose.
▸a telephone connection.
▸a railway track or route.
▸a company providing transport on particular routes:
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a shipping line.
- a row of written or printed words.
▸
(lines)
the words of an actor's part.
▸
(lines)
Brit. a number of repetitions of a sentence written out as a school punishment.
- a row or connected series of people or things.
▸N. Amer. a queue.
▸a range of commercial goods.
▸a sequence of notes or tones forming a melody.
- a notional limit or boundary.
▸the starting or finishing point in a race.
▸
(the Line)
the equator.
- a sphere of activity.
▸a direction, course, or channel.
▸
(
lines)
a way of doing something:
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thinking along the same lines.
▸a policy.
- a connected series of military defences facing an enemy force.
▸
(also line of battle)
a disposition of troops for action in battle.
▸
(the line)
regular army regiments.
- informal a remark intended to achieve a purpose:
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a cheesy chat-up line.
- Physics a narrow range of the spectrum that is noticeably brighter or darker than the adjacent parts.
v.
- stand or be positioned at intervals along.
-
(line someone/thing up)
arrange people or things in a row.
-
(line someone/thing up)
have someone or something prepared.
-
[usu. as adj. lined]
mark or cover with lines.
-
(line out)
Baseball be caught out after hitting a line drive.
Phrase
- above
(or below)
the line
Finance denoting or relating to money spent on items of current (or capital) expenditure. - come
(or bring)
into line
conform (or cause to conform). - the end of the line
the point at which one can go no further. - get a line on
informal learn something about. - in line
under control. - in line for
likely to receive. - in the line of duty
while one is working (used mainly of the police or the armed forces). - in
(or out of)
line with
in (or not in) alignment or accordance with. - lay
(or put)
it on the line
speak frankly. - line of communications
the connections between an army in the field and its bases. - line of credit
an amount of credit extended to a borrower. - line of fire
the expected path of gunfire or a missile. - line of force
an imaginary line representing the strength and direction of a magnetic, gravitational, or electric field at any point. - line of march
the route taken in marching. - line of scrimmage
American Football the imaginary line separating the teams at the beginning of a play. - line of sight
a straight line along which an observer has unobstructed vision. - line of vision
the straight line along which an observer looks. - on the line
at serious risk. - out of line
informal behaving inappropriately or incorrectly.
Etymology
OE līne ‘rope, series’, prob. of Gmc origin, from L. linea (fibra) ‘flax (fibre)’, from L. linum ‘flax’, reinforced in ME by OFr. ligne, based on L. linea.
line2
v.
cover the inner surface of (something) with a layer of different material.
▸form a layer on the inner surface of:
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hundreds of telegrams lined the walls.
Phrase
- line one's pocket
make money, especially dishonestly.
Etymology
ME: from obs. line ‘flax’, with ref. to the use of linen for linings.
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