line 1 (l?n)n.1. Mathematics A geometric figure formed by a point moving along a fixed direction and the reverse direction.2. a. A thin continuous mark, as that made by a pen, pencil, or brush applied to a surface.b. A similar mark cut or scratched into a surface.c. A crease in the skin, especially on the face; a wrinkle.3. a. A real or imaginary mark positioned in relation to fixed points of reference.b. A degree or circle of longitude or latitude drawn on a map or globe.c. The equator. Used with the.4. a. A border or boundary: the county line.b. A demarcation: a line of darker water beyond the reef.c. A contour or an outline: the line of the hills against the evening sky.5. a. A mark used to define a shape or represent a contour.b. Any of the marks that make up the formal design of a picture.6. a. A cable, rope, string, cord, or wire.b. Nautical A rope used aboard a ship.c. A fishing line.d. A clothesline.e. A cord or tape used, as by builders or surveyors, for measuring, leveling, or straightening.7. A pipe or system of pipes for conveying a fluid: gas lines.8. An electric-power transmission cable.9. a. A wire or system of wires connecting telephone or telegraph systems.b. An open or functioning telephone connection: tried to get a free line.10. a. A passenger or cargo system of public or private transportation, as by ship, aircraft, or bus, usually over a definite route.b. A company owning or managing such a system.11. a. A railway track or system of tracks.b. A particular section of a railway network: the Philadelphia-Trenton line.12. A course of progress or movement; a route: a line of flight.13. a. A general method, manner, or course of procedure: different lines of thought; took a hard line on defense.b. A manner or course of procedure determined by a specified factor: development along socialist lines.c. An official or prescribed policy: the party line.14. often lines A general concept or model: a trilogy along the lines of the Oresteia.15. a. The condition of being in proper or aligned position: Is the table in line with the sofa?b. A condition of agreement or correspondence: Your attitude is in line with mine. Is the policy in line with reality?16. a. One’s trade, occupation, or field of interest: What line of work are you in?b. Range of competence: not in my line.17. Merchandise or services of a similar or related nature: carries a complete line of small tools.18. A group of persons or things arranged in a row or series: long lines at the box office; a line of stones.19. a. Ancestry or lineage.b. A series of persons, especially from one family, who succeed each other: a line of monarchs; comes from a long line of bankers.c. A strain, as of livestock or plants, developed and maintained by selective breeding.20. a. A sequence of related things that leads to a certain ending: a line of argument.b. An ordered system of operations that allows a sequential manufacture or assembly of goods at all or various stages of production.c. The personnel of an organization or a business who actually make a product or perform a service.21. A horizontal row of printed or written words or symbols.22. One of the horizontal scans forming a television image.23. A brief letter; a note: I’ll drop you a line.24. a. A unit of verse ending in a visual or typographic break and generally characterized by its length and meter: a line of iambic pentameter.b. A unit of uninterrupted text spoken by an actor: spent the weekend learning her lines.25. Informal Glib or insincere talk, usually intended to deceive or impress: He kept on handing me a line about how busy he is.26. lines Chiefly British a. A marriage certificate.b. A usually specified number of lines of prose or verse to be written out by a pupil as punishment.27. Games A horizontal demarcation on a scorecard in bridge dividing the honor score from the trick score.28. a. A source of information.b. The information itself: got a line on the computer project.29. a. Music One of the five parallel marks constituting a staff.b. A sustained melodic or harmonic part in a piece: strained to hear the tenor line.30. a. A formation in which elements, such as troops, tanks, or ships, are arranged abreast of one another.b. The battle area closest to the enemy; the front.c. The combat troops or warships at the front, arrayed for defense or offense.d. The regular forces of an army or a navy, in contrast to staff and support personnel.e. The class of officers in direct command of warships or of army combat units.f. A bulwark or trench.g. An extended system of such fortifications or defenses: the Siegfried line.31. Sports a. A foul line.b. A real or imaginary mark demarcating a specified section of a playing area or field.c. A real or imaginary mark or point at which a race begins or ends.d. The center and two wings making up a hockey team’s offensive unit.e. Football A line of scrimmage.f. Football The linemen considered as a group.32. Informal The odds a bookmaker gives, especially for sports events.33. The proportion of an insurance risk assumed by a particular underwriter or company.34. Slang An amount of powdered cocaine arranged in a thin, long strip for snorting.v. lined, lin·ing, lines v.tr.1. To mark, incise, or cover with a line or lines.2. To represent with lines.3. To place in a series or row.4. To form a bordering line along: Small stalls lined the alley.5. Baseball To hit (a ball) sharply so that it flies low and fast.v.intr. Baseball To hit a line drive: lined out to shortstop.Phrasal Verb: line up1. To arrange in or form a line.2. Football To take one’s position in a formation before a snap or kickoff.3. To organize or make ready: lined up considerable support for the bill.4. To engage or schedule: lined up some freelance work for next month; lined up a speaker for graduation.Idioms: all along the line1. In every place.2. At every stage or moment. down the line1. All the way; throughout: Errors are to be found down the line.2. At a point or an end in the future. in line for Next in order for: in line for the presidency. on the line1. Ready or available for immediate payment.2. So as to be risked; in jeopardy: “Careers were on the line once again” (Seymour M. Hersh). out of line1. Uncalled-for; improper.2. Unruly and out of control.[Middle English, from Old English l?ne and from Old French ligne, both from Latin l?nea, string, cord, from feminine of l?neus, of linen, from l?num, thread, linen; see l??no- in Indo-European roots.]line 2 (l?n)tr.v. lined, lin·ing, lines 1. To fit a covering to the inside surface of: a coat lined with fur.2. To cover the inner surface of: Moisture lined the walls of the cave.3. To fill plentifully, as with money or food.Idiom: line (one’s) pockets To make a profit, especially by illegitimate means.[Middle English linen, from line, flax, linen cloth, from Old English l?n, from Latin l?num; see l??no- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.line (la?n) n1. a narrow continuous mark, as one made by a pencil, pen, or brush across a surface2. such a mark cut into or raised from a surface3. a thin indented mark or wrinkle4. a straight or curved continuous trace having no breadth that is produced by a moving point5. (Mathematics) maths a. any straight one-dimensional geometrical element whose identity is determined by two points. A line segment lies between any two points on a lineb. a set of points (x, y) that satisfies the equation y = mx + c, where m is the gradient and c is the intercept with the y-axis6. a border or boundary: the county line. 7. (General Sporting Terms) sport a. a white or coloured band indicating a boundary or division on a field, track, etcb. a mark or imaginary mark at which a race begins or ends8. (American Football) American football a. See line of scrimmageb. the players arranged in a row on either side of the line of scrimmage at the start of each play9. a specified point of change or limit: the dividing line between sanity and madness. 10. (Art Terms) a. the edge or contour of a shape, as in sculpture or architecture, or a mark on a painting, drawing, etc, defining or suggesting thisb. the sum or type of such contours or marks, characteristic of a style or design: the line of a draughtsman; the line of a building. 11. anything long, flexible, and thin, such as a wire or string: a washing line; a fishing line. 12. (Telecommunications) a telephone connection: a direct line to New York. 13. (Electrical Engineering) a. a conducting wire, cable, or circuit for making connections between pieces of electrical apparatus, such as a cable for electric-power transmission, telecommunications, etcb. (as modifier): the line voltage. 14. a system of travel or transportation, esp over agreed routes: a shipping line. 15. a company operating such a system16. (Railways) a route between two points on a railway17. (Railways) chiefly a. a railway track, including the roadbed, sleepers, etcb. one of the rails of such a track18. NZ a roadway usually in a rural area19. a course or direction of movement or advance: the line of flight of a bullet. 20. a course or method of action, behaviour, etc: take a new line with him. 21. a policy or prescribed course of action or way of thinking (often in the phrases bring or come into line)22. a field of study, interest, occupation, trade, or profession: this book is in your line. 23. alignment; true (esp in the phrases in line, out of line)24. (Commerce) one kind of product or article: a nice line in hats. 25. NZ a collection of bales of wool all of the one type26. a row of persons or things: a line of cakes on the conveyor belt. 27. a chronological or ancestral series, esp of people: a line of prime ministers. 28. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a row of words printed or written across a page or column29. (Poetry) a unit of verse consisting of the number of feet appropriate to the metre being used and written or printed with the words in a single row30. a short letter; note: just a line to say thank you. 31. a piece of useful information or hint about something: give me a line on his work. 32. (Broadcasting) one of a number of narrow horizontal bands forming a television picture33. (General Physics) physics a narrow band in an electromagnetic spectrum, resulting from a transition in an atom, ion, or molecule of a gas or plasma34. (Music, other) music a. any of the five horizontal marks that make up the stave. Compare space10b. the musical part or melody notated on one such setc. a discernible shape formed by sequences of notes or musical sounds: a meandering melodic line. d. (in polyphonic music) a set of staves that are held together with a bracket or brace35. (General Physics) a unit of magnetic flux equal to 1 maxwell36. (Fortifications) a defensive or fortified position, esp one that marks the most forward position in war or a national boundary: the front line. 37. (Nautical Terms) line ahead line abreast a formation adopted by a naval unit for manoeuvring38. (Military) a formation adopted by a body or a number of military units when drawn up abreast39. (Nautical Terms) the combatant forces of certain armies and navies, excluding supporting arms40. (Military) the combatant forces of certain armies and navies, excluding supporting arms41. (Fencing) fencing one of four divisions of the target on a fencer’s body, considered as areas to which specific attacks are made42. (Hunting) the scent left by a fox43. (Navigation) a. the equator (esp in the phrase crossing the line)b. any circle or arc on the terrestrial or celestial sphere44. (Physical Geography) a. the equator (esp in the phrase crossing the line)b. any circle or arc on the terrestrial or celestial sphere45. (Insurance) the amount of insurance written by an underwriter for a particular risk46. US and Canadian a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for something. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): queue 47. slang a portion of a powdered drug for snorting48. slang something said for effect, esp to solicit for money, sex, etc: he gave me his usual line. 49. (Accounting & Book-keeping) accounting denoting entries above a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed50. (Banking & Finance) denoting revenue transactions rather than capital transactions in a nation’s accounts51. (Marketing) marketing expenditure on media advertising through an agency, rather than internally arranged advertising, such as direct mail, free samples, etc52. (Card Games) bridge denoting bonus points, marked above the horizontal line on the score card53. (Accounting & Book-keeping) accounting denoting entries below a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed54. (Banking & Finance) denoting capital transactions rather than revenue transactions in a nation’s accounts55. (Marketing) marketing denoting expenditure on advertising by other means than the traditional media, such as the provision of free gifts, special displays, direct mailshots, etc56. (Card Games) bridge denoting points scored towards game and rubber, marked below the horizontal line on the score card57. all along the line a. at every stage in a seriesb. in every detail58. do a line informal Irish and Austral to associate (with a person of the opposite sex) regularly; go out (with): he is doing a line with her. 59. draw the line to reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on): her father draws the line at her coming in after midnight. 60. get a line on informal to obtain information about61. (Telecommunications) to keep a telephone line open62. (Soccer) football to prevent the opponents from taking the ball forward63. (Rugby) football to prevent the opponents from taking the ball forward64. (Military) (of soldiers) to keep formation, as when under fire65. in line for in the running for; a candidate for: he’s in line for a directorship. 66. in line with conforming to67. in the line of duty as a necessary and usually undesired part of the performance of one’s responsibilities68. lay on the line put on the line a. to pay moneyb. to speak frankly and directlyc. to risk (one’s career, reputation, etc) on something69. shoot a line informal to try to create a false image, as by boasting or exaggerating70. step out of line to fail to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc71. toe the line to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etcvb72. (tr) to mark with a line or lines73. (tr) to draw or represent with a line or lines74. (tr) to be or put as a border to: tulips lined the lawns. 75. to place in or form a row, series, or alignment[C13: partly from Old French ligne, ultimately from Latin l?nea, n use of l?neus flaxen, from l?num flax; partly from Old English l?n, ultimately also from Latin l?num flax] ?linable, ?lineable adj lined adj ?line?like adj ?liny, ?liney adjline (la?n) vb (tr) 1. (Knitting & Sewing) to attach an inside covering to (a garment, curtain, etc), as for protection, to hide the seaming, or so that it should hang well2. to cover or fit the inside of: to line the walls with books. 3. to fill plentifully: a purse lined with money. 4. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) to reinforce the back of (a book) with fabric, paper, etc[C14: ultimately from Latin l?num flax, since linings were often made of linen]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014line1 (la?n) n., v. lined, lin?ing. n. 1. a long mark of very slight breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface. 2. a continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point. 3. something arranged along a line, esp. a straight line; a row: a line of trees. 4. a number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turns at or for something; queue. 5. something resembling a traced line, as a seam or furrow: lines of stratification in rock. 6. a furrow or wrinkle on the face, neck, etc. 7. an indication of demarcation; boundary; limit: the county line; a fine line between right and wrong. 8. a row of written or printed letters, words, etc. 9. a unit in the metrical structure of a poem or lyric, composed of feet. 10. Usu., lines. the words of an actor’s part in a drama, musical comedy, etc. 11. a short written message: Drop me a line when you’re on vacation. 12. a system of public conveyances, as buses or trains, plying regularly over a fixed route. 13. a transportation company: a steamship line. 14. a course of direction; route: the line of march. 15. a course of action, procedure, thought, policy, etc.: That newspaper follows a conservative line. 16. a piece of pertinent or useful information: I’ve got a line on a good used car. 17. a series of generations of persons, animals, or plants descended from a common ancestor: a line of kings. 18. a person’s occupation or business: What line are you in? 19. Informal. a mode of conversation intended to impress or influence: He handed us a line about his rich relatives. 20. outline or contour: a ship of fine lines. 21. lines, a. a plan of construction, action, or procedure: two books written along the same lines. b. Chiefly Brit. a certificate of marriage. 22. a circle of the terrestrial or celestial sphere: the equinoctial line. 23. Art. a. a mark made by a pencil, brush, or the like, that defines the contour of a shape, forms hatching, etc. b. the edge of a shape. 24. a. a telephone connection: Please hold the line. b. a wire circuit connecting two or more pieces of electric apparatus, esp. the circuit connecting points or stations in a telegraph or telephone system or the system itself. 25. a stock of goods of the same general class but having a range of styles, sizes, prices, or quality. 26. an assembly line. 27. Law. a limit defining one estate from another; the outline or boundary of a piece of real estate. 28. (in bridge) a line on a score sheet below which points are scored toward game and above which bonus points are scored. 29. Music. any of the straight, horizontal, parallel strokes of the staff, or one placed above or below the staff. 30. a. a series of fortifications: the Maginot line. b. Often, lines. a distribution of troops, ships, etc., arranged for defense or drawn up for battle: behind enemy lines. c. the combatant forces of an army or navy, or their officers. 31. a body or formation of troops or ships drawn up abreast (disting. from column). 32. that part of an administrative organization consisting of persons actively engaged on a given project. 33. a thread, string, cord, rope, etc. 34. a clothesline. 35. a cord, wire, etc., used for measuring or as a guide. 36. a pipe or hose: a steam line. 37. a rope or cable used at sea. 38. Slang. a small quantity of cocaine arranged in the form of a slender thread, as for sniffing. 39. a cord or string with a hook, sinker, float, etc., for catching fish. 40. a. either of the two front rows of opposing football players lined up opposite each other on the line of scrimmage. b. line of scrimmage. 41. the betting odds established by bookmakers for events not covered by pari-mutuel betting, esp. sporting events, as football or basketball. 42. the two wings and center that comprise an ice hockey team’s offensive unit. v.i. 43. to take a position in a line; range (often fol. by up). 44. Baseball. a. to hit a line drive. b. to line out. v.t. 45. to bring into a line, or into line with others (often fol. by up): to line up troops. 46. to mark with a line or lines. 47. to form a line along: Rocks lined the drive. 48. to apply liner to (the eyes). 49. to delineate with or as if with lines; draw: to line a silhouette. 50. line out, a. Baseball. to be put out by hitting a line drive caught on the fly by a player of the opposing team. b. Informal. to execute or perform: to line out a song. 51. line up, to secure; make available. Idioms: 1. down the line, a. in every way; thoroughly. b. in the future. 2. draw the line, to impose a restriction or limit. 3. hold the line, to maintain the status quo, esp. in order to forestall unfavorable developments. 4. in (the) line of duty, in the execution of one’s duties, esp. with regard to the responsibility for life and death. 5. lay it on the line, Informal. to impart information directly and frankly. 6. off line, a. occurring or functioning away from the central work location, as an assembly line. b. not in operation; not functioning. c. not actively linked to a computer or central computer. 7. on line, a. on or part of an assembly line. b. in or into operation. c. actively linked to a computer. 8. on the line, a. in a vulnerable position. b. during the transaction; immediately: to pay cash on the line. 9. out of line, a. not in a straight line. b. disrespectful; presumptuous. [before 1000; Middle English li(g)ne, partly