Line - Definition

n 1: a formation of people or things one beside another; "the
line of soldiers advanced with their bayonets fixed"; "they
were arrayed in line of battle"; "the cast stood in line
for the curtain call"
2: a mark that is long relative to its width; "He drew a line on
the chart"
3: a formation of people or things one behind another; "the line
stretched clear around the corner"; "you must wait in a long
line at the checkout counter"
4: a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness;
the trace of a moving point
5: text consisting of a row of words written across a page or
computer screen; "the letter consisted of three short lines";
"there are six lines in every stanza"
6: a single frequency (or very narrow band) of radiation in a
spectrum
7: a fortified position (especially one marking the most forward
position of troops); "they attacked the enemy's line"
8: a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or
falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning; "I
can't follow your line of reasoning" [syn: argumentation,
logical argument, argument, line of reasoning, line]
9: a conductor for transmitting electrical or optical signals or
electric power [syn: cable, line, transmission line]
10: a connected series of events or actions or developments;
"the government took a firm course"; "historians can only
point out those lines for which evidence is available" [syn:
course, line]
11: a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary
unidimensional extent
12: a slight depression in the smoothness of a surface; "his
face has many lines"; "ironing gets rid of most wrinkles"
[syn: wrinkle, furrow, crease, crinkle, seam,
line]
13: a pipe used to transport liquids or gases; "a pipeline runs
from the wells to the seaport" [syn: pipeline, line]
14: the road consisting of railroad track and roadbed [syn:
line, railway line, rail line]
15: a telephone connection [syn: telephone line, phone line,
telephone circuit, subscriber line, line]
16: acting in conformity; "in line with"; "he got out of line";
"toe the line"
17: the descendants of one individual; "his entire lineage has
been warriors" [syn: lineage, line, line of descent,
descent, bloodline, blood line, blood, pedigree,
ancestry, origin, parentage, stemma, stock]
18: something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and
flexible; "a washing line"
19: the principal activity in your life that you do to earn
money; "he's not in my line of business" [syn: occupation,
business, job, line of work, line]
20: in games or sports; a mark indicating positions or bounds of
the playing area
21: (often plural) a means of communication or access; "it must
go through official channels"; "lines of communication were
set up between the two firms" [syn: channel,
communication channel, line]
22: a particular kind of product or merchandise; "a nice line of
shoes" [syn: line, product line, line of products,
line of merchandise, business line, line of business]
23: a commercial organization serving as a common carrier
24: space for one line of print (one column wide and 1/14 inch
deep) used to measure advertising [syn: agate line,
line]
25: the maximum credit that a customer is allowed [syn: credit
line, line of credit, bank line, line, personal
credit line, personal line of credit]
26: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she
was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: tune, melody,
air, strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase]
27: persuasive but insincere talk that is usually intended to
deceive or impress; "`let me show you my etchings' is a
rather worn line"; "he has a smooth line but I didn't fall
for it"; "that salesman must have practiced his fast line of
talk"
28: a short personal letter; "drop me a line when you get there"
[syn: note, short letter, line, billet]
29: a conceptual separation or distinction; "there is a narrow
line between sanity and insanity" [syn: line, dividing
line, demarcation, contrast]
30: mechanical system in a factory whereby an article is
conveyed through sites at which successive operations are
performed on it [syn: production line, assembly line,
line]
v 1: be in line with; form a line along; "trees line the
riverbank" [syn: line, run along]
2: cover the interior of; "line the gloves"; "line a chimney"
3: make a mark or lines on a surface; "draw a line"; "trace the
outline of a figure in the sand" [syn: trace, draw,
line, describe, delineate]
4: mark with lines; "sorrow had lined his face"
5: fill plentifully; "line one's pockets"
6: reinforce with fabric; "lined books are more enduring"