line

1 of 3

noun

ˈlīn 

1

a

: a length of cord or cord-like material: such as

(1)

: a comparatively strong slender cord

(2)

: clothesline

(3)

: a rope used on shipboard

b(1)

: a device for catching fish consisting of a cord with hooks and other fishing gear

(2)

: scope for activity : rope

c

: a length of material used in measuring and leveling

used a line to level the foundation

d(1)

: piping for conveying a fluid (such as steam)

installed a new gas line

(2)

: a narrow short synthetic tube that is inserted approximately one inch into a vein (as of the arm) to provide temporary intravenous access for the administration of fluid, medication, or nutrients

e(1)

: a wire or pair of wires connecting one telegraph or telephone station with another or a whole system of such wires

also : any circuit in an electronic communication system

(2)

: a telephone connection

tried to get a line

also : an individual telephone extension

a call on line 2

(3)

: the principal circuits of an electric power system

2

a(1)

: a horizontal row of written or printed characters

the last line on the page

also : a blank row in lieu of such characters

(2)

: a unit in the rhythmic structure of verse formed by the grouping of a number of the smallest units of the rhythm (such as metrical feet)

The poem consisted of 14 lines.

(3)

: a distinct segment of a computer program containing a single command or a small number of commands

b

: a short letter : note

dropped him a line confirming the date

c

lines plural : a certificate of marriage

d

: the words making up a part in a performance

—usually used in plural

memorized his lines

e

: any of the successive horizontal rows of picture elements on the screen of a cathode-ray tube (such as a television screen)

3

a

: something (such as a ridge or seam) that is distinct, elongated, and narrow

growth lines in a tree trunk

b

: a narrow crease (as on the face) : wrinkle

c

: the course or direction of something in motion : route

the line of flight of a bullet

d(1)

: a state of agreement or conformity : accordance

took a firm line with his nephew

(2)

: a state of order, control, or obedience

wouldn't let them get out of line

e(1)

: a boundary of an area

the state line

(2)

: distinction sense 1

the fine line between love and hate

f

: the track and roadbed of a railway

g

: an amount of cocaine that is arranged in a line to be inhaled through the nose

4

a

: a course of conduct, action, or thought

especially : an official or public position

the party line

b

: a field of activity or interest

worked in the plumbing line

c

: a glib often persuasive way of talking

had a line to make the angels weep

5

a

: limit, restraint

overstepped the line of good taste

b

archaic : position in life : lot

6

a(1)

: family, lineage

descended from a noble line

(2)

: a strain produced and maintained especially by selective breeding or biological culture

(3)

: a chronological series

b

: orderly arrangements made to cover extended military positions and presenting a front to the enemy

—usually used in plural

the lines of battle

c

: a military formation in which the different elements are abreast of each other

d

: naval ships arranged in a regular order

e(1)

: the combatant forces of an army distinguished from the staff corps and supply services

(2)

: the force of a regular navy

f(1)

: officers of the navy eligible for command at sea distinguished from officers of the staff

(2)

: officers of the army belonging to a combatant branch

g

: an arrangement or placement of persons or objects of one kind in an orderly series

a line of trees

stand on line

waiting in line

also : the persons or objects so positioned

the line moved slowly at the bank

h(1)

: a group of public conveyances plying regularly under one management over a route

(2)

: a system of transportation together with its equipment, routes, and appurtenances

the eastern freight lines

also : the company owning or operating it

i

: a succession of musical notes especially considered in melodic phrases

j(1)

: an arrangement of operations in manufacturing permitting sequential occurrence on various stages of production

a production line

(2)

: the personnel of an organization that are responsible for its stated objective

k(1)

: the seven players including center, two guards, two tackles, and two ends who in offensive football play line up on or within one foot of the line of scrimmage

(2)

: the players who in defensive play line up within one yard of the line of scrimmage

l

: a group of three players including a left winger, center, and right winger who play together as a unit in hockey

7

: a narrow elongated mark drawn or projected: such as

a(1)

: a circle of latitude or longitude on a map

(2)

: equator

b

: a mark (as on a map) recording a boundary, division, or contour

c

: any of the horizontal parallel strokes on a music staff on or between which notes are placed compare space

d

: a mark (as by pencil) that forms part of the formal design of a picture distinguished from the shading or color

e

: a division on a bridge score dividing the score for bonuses from that for tricks

f(1)

: a demarcation of a limit with reference to which the playing of some game or sport is regulated

—usually used in combination

(2)

: a marked or imaginary line across a playing area (such as a football field) parallel to the end line

(3)

: line of scrimmage

8

: a straight or curved geometric element that is generated by a moving point and that has extension only along the path of the point : curve

9

a

: a defining outline : contour

the rising line of the hills

b

: a general plan : model

—usually used in plural

explained the lines of his foreign policy

10

a

chiefly British : pica

—used to indicate the size of large type

b

: the unit of fineness of halftones expressed as the number of screen lines to the linear inch

11

: merchandise or services of the same general class for sale or regularly available

a full line of electrical supplies

12

a

: a source of information : insight

b

: betting odds offered by a bookmaker especially on a sporting event

13

: a complete game of 10 frames in bowling

called also string

14

: line drive

15

: the part of a professional kitchen in which meals are cooked and plated

In esoteric, insider terminology of the restaurant world, "the line" refers en masse to the people, the physical space, the equipment … the arrangement of things, the order, the rules, the menu, the methods …

—Michael Anton

We were taught in the kitchen fray to never take anything said on the line personally.

—Naomi Pomeroy

working a line shift

Several years ago, while working as a line cook in a New York City restaurant, I tasted a salami unlike any I'd ever come across.

—Hunter Lewis

liny adjective

or less commonly liney

ˈlī-nē 

line

2 of 3

verb (1)

lined; lining

transitive verb

1

: to mark or cover with a line or lines

lined paper

2

: to depict with lines : draw

3

: to place or form a line along

pedestrians line the walks

4

: to form into a line or lines : align

line up troops

5

: to hit (something, such as a baseball) hard and in a usually straight line

intransitive verb

1

: to hit a line drive in baseball

2

: to come into the correct relative position : align

line

3 of 3

verb (2)

lined; lining

transitive verb

1

: to cover the inner surface of

line a cloak with silk

2

: to put something in the inside of : fill

3

: to serve as the lining of

tapestries lined the walls

4

obsolete : fortify

Phrases

between the lines

1

: by implication : in an indirect way

2

: by way of inference

down the line

1

: all the way : fully

supported him right down the line

2

: in the future

planning some further changes down the line

problems that might occur a few years down the line

in line for

: due or in a position to receive

She's in line for a promotion.

on line

: in or into operation

bringing the new factory on line

on the line

1

: at great risk

puts his future on the line by backing that policy

2

: on the border between two categories

line one's pockets

: to take money freely and especially dishonestly

Synonyms

Noun

• column
• cue
• file
• queue
• range
• string
• train

Examples of line in a Sentence

Noun

I drew a straight line down the page to separate the two lists.

Cut the paper along the dotted line.

a tennis serve that was over the line

After three hours on the road, they finally crossed the state line.

Their yards were separated by a line of trees.

Everybody had to get in line and wait their turn.

The people were waiting in line.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The goal of this relationship is to save you time, trouble, and money down the line. —Brady Slack, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023

In the meantime, the operator said it’s making progress on its remediation plan, including analysis of other areas and additional in-line inspections. —Joe Sutton, CNN, 10 Feb. 2023

If she is pushed out, Caucus Vice Chairman Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Democrat of N.Y. is next in line to lead the group, people familiar with the process said. —Ed O'Keefe, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2023

Email your answer in the subject line to [e-mail]. —WSJ, 9 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb (1)

Middle English; partly from Anglo-French lingne, from Latin linea, from feminine of lineus made of flax, from linum flax; partly from Old English līne; akin to Old English līn flax — more at linen

Verb (2)

Middle English, from line flax, from Old English līn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing line

• absorption line
• agate line
• air line
• A-line
• along the line
• assembly line
• asymmetrical digital subscriber line
• asymmetric digital subscriber line
• attention line
• battle line
• belt line
• blank line
• blue line
• bottom line
• branch line
• bright-line
• broke the color line
• cell line
• central line
• chat line
• chat-up line
• chow line
• color line
• colour line
• conga line
• contour line
• credit line
• cross the line
• cross the picket line
• date line
• desire line
• digital subscriber line
• dividing line
• dotted line
• draw a line
• draw the line
• drop (someone) a line
• end line
• fall into line
• fall line
• fault line
• feed (someone) a line
• fine line
• finishing line
• finish line
• fire line
• firing line
• first-line
• fishing line
• flight line
• foul line
• front line
• germ line
• get/have a line on
• goal line
• half line
• hard-line
• help line
• hold the line
• hook, line and sinker
• hot line
• inbounds line
• in-line
• in-line engine
• in-line skate
• in line with
• in someone's line of sight
• international date line
• in the firing line
• in the line of duty
• into line
• isogonic line
• isometric line
• land line
• lateral line
• lay it on the line
• lead line
• ledger line
• leger line
• line cook
• line dance
• line drawing
• line drive
• line engraving
• line graph
• line-haul
• line item
• line-item veto
• line judge
• line of credit
• line of defense
• line of duty
• line officer
• line of fire
• line of force
• line of reasoning
• line of scrimmage
• line of sight
• line of vision
• line of work
• line one's pockets
• line out
• line printer
• line rental
• line score
• line squall
• line storm
• line up
• load line
• log line
• lubber line
• main line
• morning line
• number line
• off-line
• old-line
• on another line
• on the dotted line
• on the firing line
• out of line
• overstep the mark/line
• panty line
• party line
• picket line
• pickup line
• plumb line
• poverty line
• production line
• punch line
• receiving line
• rhumb line
• scrimmage line
• second-line
• service line
• ship of the line
• short line
• Siegfried line
• sight line
• sign on the dotted line
• snow line
• soft-line
• sounding line
• spectral line
• spring line
• starting line
• static line
• step out of line
• story line
• straight-line
• straight-line wind
• string line
• supply line
• take a firm line
• take/follow the path/line of least resistance
• tan line
• the end of the line
• the international date line
• the poverty line
• three-point line
• through line
• tie-line
• time line
• toe the line
• top line
• top-of-the-line
• tree line
• trunk line
• Wallace's line
• white line
• worry line
• yard line
• zip line
• Z line

Kids Definition

line

1 of 3 noun

ˈlīn 

1

: a long thin cord

a fishing line

2

: a cord, wire, or tape used in measuring and leveling

3

a

: a pipe for carrying a fluid

gas line

water line

steam line

b

: a wire or set of wires carrying electricity

a power line

telegraph lines

a telephone line

4

a

: a row of words, letters, numbers, or symbols that are written, printed, or displayed (as on a page or TV screen)

also : space for such a line

b

: a structural unit of something written (as a poem or a computer program)

c

: a short letter : note

drop me a line

d

plural : the words of a part in a play

forgot her lines

5

a

: something (as a ridge, seam, or wrinkle) that is long and narrow

b

: the direction followed by something in motion

the line of flight of a bullet

c

: the boundary or limit of a place or lot

town line

property line

d

: the difference known or pointed out

the fine line between love and hate

e

: the track of a railway

6

: a state of agreement

the red one is more in line with what I had in mind

7

a

: a course of behavior or thinking

especially : an official or public position

the party line

b

: what one does or is interested in

is medicine your line?

c

: smooth or interesting talk that is often insincere

8

: family sense 2

descended from a royal line

9

a

: the position of military forces facing the enemy

on the front and behind the lines

our first line of defense

b

: an arrangement of persons or things in a series

waiting in line

10

: goods for sale of one general kind

a line of clothing

11

: a system of transportation or the route over which it travels

a bus line

a steamship line

military supply lines

12

a

: a long narrow mark (as one made by a pencil)

b

: one of the horizontal lines on a music staff

c

: the football players whose positions are along the line of scrimmage

d

: a group of three players who play together as a unit in hockey

13

: a geometric element that is formed by a moving point and that has length but no width or thickness

especially : such an element that is straight

14

a

: outline entry 1 sense 1, contour

a ship's lines

b

: a general plan

a story along these lines

line

2 of 3 verb

lined; lining

1

: to mark with a line or lines

2

: to place or form a line along

3

: to form a line : form into lines

4

: to hit a line drive

line

3 of 3 verb

lined; lining

: to cover the inner surface of

line a box with paper

tapestries lined the walls

Etymology

Noun

Middle English line "thread," partly from Old English līne (same meaning) and partly from early French lingne (same meaning), derived from Latin linum "flax"

Verb

Old English līn "flax"

Medical Definition

line

noun

ˈlīn 

1

: something (as a ridge, seam, mark, or streak) that is distinct, elongated, and narrow see linea

2

: a strain produced and maintained especially by selective breeding or biological culture

3

: a narrow short synthetic tube (as of plastic) that is inserted approximately one inch into a vein (as of the arm) to provide temporary intravenous access for the administration of fluid, medication, or nutrients