line

Noun

line (plural lines)

1. A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.
   • The arrow descended in a curved line.
   1. (geometry) An infinitely extending one-dimensional figure that has no curvature; one that has length but not breadth or thickness.
      • Synonym: straight line
   2. (geometry, informal) A line segment; a continuous finite segment of such a figure.
      • Synonym: line segment
   3. (graph theory) An edge of a graph.
   4. (geography) A circle of latitude or of longitude, as represented on a map.
   5. (geography, 'the line' or 'equinoctial line') The equator.
   6. (music) One of the straight horizontal and parallel prolonged strokes on and between which the notes are placed.
   7. (cricket) The horizontal path of a ball towards the batsman (see also length).
   8. (soccer) The goal line.
   9. (motoring) A particular path taken by a vehicle when driving a bend or corner in the road.
2. A rope, cord, string, or thread, of any thickness.
3. A hose or pipe, of any size.
   • a brake line
   • the main water line to the house
4. Direction, path.
   • the line of sight
   • the line of vision
5. The wire connecting one telegraphic station with another, a telephone or internet cable between two points: a telephone or network connection.
   • I tried to make a call, but the line was dead.
   • a dedicated line;  a shared line
   • Please speak up, the line is very faint.
6. A clothesline.
   • We need to take the clothes off the line. The news reported a front is coming in from the east, and we can expect heavy rain and maybe hail.
7. A letter, a written form of communication.
   • Synonyms: epistle, letter, note
   • Drop me a line.
8. A connected series of public conveyances, as a roadbed or railway track; and hence, an established arrangement for forwarding merchandise, etc.
   • a line of stages
   • an express line
9. (military) A trench or rampart, or the non-physical demarcation of the extent of the territory occupied by specified forces.
10. The exterior limit of a figure or territory: a boundary, contour, or outline; a demarcation.
11. A long tape or ribbon marked with units for measuring; a tape measure.
12. (obsolete) A measuring line or cord.
13. That which was measured by a line, such as a field or any piece of land set apart; hence, allotted place of abode.
14. A threadlike crease or wrinkle marking the face, hand, or body; hence, a characteristic mark.
15. Lineament; feature; figure (of one's body).
16. A more-or-less straight sequence of people, objects, etc., either arranged as a queue or column and often waiting to be processed or dealt with, or arranged abreast of one another in a row (and contrasted with a column), as in a military formation.
    • Synonyms: (Canada) lineup, (UK, Ireland) queue
    • The line forms on the right.
    • There is a line of houses.
    1. (military, nautical) Ellipsis of line of battle.
17. (military) The regular infantry of an army, as distinguished from militia, guards, volunteer corps, cavalry, artillery, etc.
18. (music) A series of notes forming a certain part (such as the bass or melody) of a greater work.
19. A series or succession of ancestors or descendants of a given person; a family or race; compare lineage.
20. A small amount of text. Specifically:
    1. A written or printed row of letters, words, numbers, or other text, especially a row of words extending across a page or column, or a blank in place of such text.
       • Synonym: row
       • The answer to the comprehension question can be found in the third line of the accompanying text.
    2. A verse (in poetry).
    3. A sentence of dialogue, especially in a play, movie, or the like.
       • He was perfecting his pickup lines for use at the bar.
       • "It is what it is" was one of his more annoying lines.
    4. A lie or exaggeration, especially one told to gain another's approval or prevent losing it.
       • Don't feed me a line!
21. Course of conduct, thought, occupation, or policy; method of argument; department of industry, trade, or intellectual activity.
22. The official, stated position (or set of positions) of an individual or group, particularly a political or religious faction.
    • Remember, your answers must match the party line.
23. (slang) Information about or understanding of something. (Mostly restricted to the expressions get a line on, have a line on, and give a line on.)
    • Judy gave me a line on a lawyer who's supposed to be the best in the business.
24. A set of products or services sold by a business, or by extension, the business itself.
    • line of business, product line
    • How many buses does the line have?
    • The airline is in danger of bankruptcy.
25. (stock exchange) A number of shares taken by a jobber.
26. Any of an ill-defined set of units of length, varying according to the country, discipline, industry, and date of application, commonly with no indication of the intended magnitude:
    1. (historical) A tsarist-era Russian unit of measure, approximately equal to one tenth of an English inch, used especially when measuring the calibre of firearms.
    2. One twelfth of an inch.
    3. One sixteenth of an inch.
    4. One fortieth of an inch.
27. (advertising) Short for agate line.
28. (historical) A maxwell, a unit of magnetic flux.
29. (baseball, slang, 1800s, with "the") The batter's box.
30. (fencing) The position in which the fencers hold their swords.
    • Synonym: line of engagement
31. (engineering) Proper relative position or adjustment (of parts, not as to design or proportion, but with reference to smooth working).
    • the engine is in line / out of line
32. A small path-shaped portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug, especially cocaine.
33. (obsolete) Instruction; doctrine.
34. (genetics) A population of cells derived from a single cell and containing the same genetic makeup.
35. (perfusion line) a set composed of a spike, a drip chamber, a clamp, a Y-injection site, a three-way stopcock and a catheter.
36. (ice hockey) A group of forwards that play together.
37. (Australian rules football) A set of positions in a team which play in a similar position on the field; in a traditional team, consisting of three players and acting as one of six such sets in the team.
38. (medicine, colloquial) A vascular catheter.
    • patient had a line inserted
    • line sepsis
39. (South Korean idol fandom) A group of people born in a certain year (liners).
    • maknae line; hyung line; 97 line

Verb

line (third-person singular simple present lines, present participle lining, simple past and past participle lined)

1. (transitive) To place (objects) into a line (usually used with "up"); to form into a line; to align.
   • to line troops
2. (transitive) To place persons or things along the side of for security or defense; to strengthen by adding; to fortify.
   • to line works with soldiers
3. (transitive) To form a line along.
4. (transitive) To mark with a line or lines; to cover with lines.
   • to line a copy book
5. (rail transport) To align (one or more switches) to direct a train onto a particular track.
   • The dispatcher lined the switches at Pickle interlocking for the freight turnout to clear the train into the passing track before the express arrived.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To represent by lines; to delineate; to portray.
7. (transitive) To read or repeat line by line.
   • to line out a hymn
8. (intransitive, baseball) To hit a line drive; to hit a line drive which is caught for an out. Compare fly and ground.
   • Jones lined to left in his last at-bat.
9. (transitive) To track (wild bees) to their nest by following their line of flight.
10. (transitive) To measure.

Alternative forms

• lin

Noun

line (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Flax; linen, particularly the longer fiber of flax.

Verb

line (third-person singular simple present lines, present participle lining, simple past and past participle lined)

1. (transitive) To cover the inner surface of (something), originally especially with linen.
   • The bird lines its nest with soft grass.
   • to line a cloak with silk or fur
   • to line a box with paper or tin
   • paintings lined the walls of the cavernous dining room
2. To reinforce (the back of a book) with glue and glued scrap material such as fabric or paper.
3. (transitive) To fill or supply (something), as a purse with money.
   • to line the shelves

Verb

line (third-person singular simple present lines, present participle lining, simple past and past participle lined)

1. (transitive, now rare, of a dog) To copulate with, to impregnate.

Gallery

• Six lines (drawn paths).
• A diagram showing the locations of the five major lines of latitude on an equirectangular projection of the Earth.
• Four eighth notes beamed together on a staff, the series of horizontal lines in music.
• In graph theory, lines or edges connect the nodes.
• Stretford End of Old Trafford in Manchester (1992). In soccer, the goal line is the boundary of the smaller rectangle that touches the goal as seen in the picture.
• Four lines of text.
• Multiple telephone poles and lines.
• Multiple train lines.
• A letter.
• A product line of similar video game devices by Nintendo.
• A man holding a rope.
• A woman using a fire hose.
• A family tree with the line/lineage of descendants of Queen Victoria.
• Painting of Prussian Infantry attacking in lines during the Battle of Hohenfriedberg.
• A line of people.
• A man drinking tea in Bangladesh on a winter morning. Lines (wrinkles) can be seen on his face.
• Assuming the yellow taxi is moving backwards, it is in the process of lining up with other taxis.

Anagrams

• LEIN, Neil, Niel, Nile, lien

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈlajn/

Noun

line f (invariable)

1. line management
2. editing (of a TV programme/program)

Anagrams

• lenì

Verb

line

1. second-person singular present active imperative of linō

Alternative forms

• lyne, lin, lyene
• ligne (influenced by Old French ligne)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /liːn(ə)/

Noun

line (plural lines)

1. rope, cord
2. line, rule, ruler, measure
3. (figurative) rule, direction, command, edict
4. line, straight mark; also a fictitious line
5. (written) line, verse

Noun

line (uncountable)

1. Alternative form of lyne

Pronunciation

• IPA: /²liːnə/

Alternative forms

• linje

Noun

line f (definite singular lina, indefinite plural liner, definite plural linene)

1. a line (a continuous mark through two or more points; a succession of ancestors or descendants; the stated position of an individual or group)

Noun

line f (definite singular lina, indefinite plural liner, definite plural linene)

1. a line (a strong rope, cord, string, wire)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈliː.ne/

Noun

līne f

1. line
2. rope, cable
3. row, series
4. direction, rule

Pronoun

liné

1. you, you all; second-person plural absolute pronoun.