line

1. a mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface:

   a line down the middle of the page.

2. Mathematics. a continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point.
3. something arranged along a line, especially a straight line; a row or series:

   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 band of color, a seam, or a furrow:

   lines of stratification in rock.

6. a furrow or wrinkle on the face, neck, etc.:

   lines around the eyes.

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.:

   a page of 30 lines.

9. a verse of poetry:

   A line in iambic pentameter contains five feet.

10. Usually lines. the words of an actor's part in a drama, musical comedy, etc.:

    to rehearse one's lines.

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:

    the northbound line at State Street.

13. a transportation or conveyance company:

    a steamship line.

14. a course of direction; route:

    the line of march down Main Street.

15. a course of action, procedure, thought, policy, etc.:

    That newspaper follows the communist line.

16. a piece of pertinent or useful information (usually followed by on ):

    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 department of activity; occupation or business:

    What line are you in?

19. Informal. a mode of conversation, especially one that is glib or exaggerated in order to impress or influence another person:

    He really handed her a line about his rich relatives.

20. a straight line drawn from an observed object to the fovea of the eye.
21. lines,
    1. the outer form or proportions of a ship, building, etc.:

       a ship of fine lines.

    2. a general form, as of an event or something that is made, which may be the basis of comparison, imitation, etc.:

       two books written along the same lines.

    3. a person's lot or portion:

       to endure the hard lines of poverty.

    4. Chiefly British. a certificate of marriage.
22. a circle of the terrestrial or celestial sphere:

    the equinoctial line.

23. banner ( def 7 ).
24. Fine Arts.
    1. a mark made by a pencil, brush, or the like, that defines the contour of a shape, forms hatching, etc.
    2. the edge of a shape.
25. Television. one scanning line.
26. Telecommunications.
    1. a telephone connection:

       Please hold the line.

    2. a wire circuit connecting two or more pieces of electric apparatus, especially the wire or wires connecting points or stations in a telegraph or telephone system, or the system itself.
27. the line, Geography. the equator.
28. a stock of commercial goods of the same general class but having a range of styles, sizes, prices, or quality:

    the company's line of shoes.

29. an assembly line.
30. Law. a limit defining one estate from another; the outline or boundary of a piece of real estate.
31. Bridge. a line on a score sheet that separates points scored toward game below the line from points scored by setting a contract, having honors, etc. above the line.
32. Music. any of the straight, horizontal, parallel strokes of the staff, or one placed above or below the staff.
33. Military.
    1. a defensive position or front.
    2. a series of fortifications:

       the Maginot line.

    3. Usually lines. a distribution of troops, sentries, etc., for the defense of a position or for an attack:

       behind the enemy's lines.

    4. the body of personnel constituting the combatant forces of an army, as distinguished from the supply services and staff corps.
34. an arrangement of troops of an army or of ships of a fleet as drawn up for battle:

    line of battle.

35. a body or formation of troops or ships drawn up abreast ( column def 6 ).
36. the class of officers serving with combatant units or warships.
37. the regular forces of an army or navy.
38. that part of an administrative organization consisting of persons actively engaged on a given project. Compare staff ¹( def 5 ).
39. a thread, string, cord, rope, or the like.
40. a clothesline:

    the wash hanging on the line.

41. a cord, wire, or the like, used for measuring or as a guide.
42. Nautical.
    1. a pipe or hose:

       a steam line.

    2. a rope or cable used at sea.
43. Slang. a small quantity of cocaine arranged in the form of a slender thread or line, as for sniffing.
44. Also . a unit equal to 1/40 (0.025) inch (0.64 millimeter), for measuring the diameter of buttons.
45. Angling. a length of nylon, silk, linen, cord, or the like, to which are attached the leader, hook, sinker, float, etc.
46. Football.
    1. either of the two front rows of opposing players lined up opposite each other on the line of scrimmage:

       a four-man line.

    2. the line of scrimmage.
47. the betting odds established by bookmakers for events not covered by pari-mutuel betting, especially sporting events, as football or basketball.
48. Ice Hockey. the two wings and center who make up a team's offensive unit.
49. Fencing. any of the four divisions of the portion of a fencer's body on which a touch can be scored, taken as an area of attack or defense.
50. Textiles. the longer and preferred flax or hemp fibers. Compare tow ²( def 2 ).
51. Fox Hunting. the trail of scent left by a fox.
52. a unit of length equivalent to 1/12 (0.0833) inch (2.12 millimeters).
53. Insurance.
    1. a class or type of insurance:

       casualty line.

    2. the amount of insurance written for a particular risk.
54. Australian Slang. a girl or woman.

1. to take a position in a line; range (often followed by up ):

   to line up before the start of a parade.

2. Baseball.
   1. to hit a line drive.
   2. to line out.

1. to bring into a line, or into line with others (often followed by up ):

   to line up troops.

2. to mark with a line or lines:

   to line paper for writing.

3. to sketch verbally or in writing; outline (often followed by out ):

   We followed the plan he had lined out.

4. to arrange a line along:

   to line a coast with colonies.

5. to form a line along:

   Rocks lined the drive.

6. to apply eyeliner to (the eyes).
7. to delineate with or as if with lines; draw:

   to line the silhouette of a person's head.

8. Archaic. to measure or test with a line.

verb phrase

1. to secure; make available:

   to line up support; to line up a speaker for the banquet.

2. 1. Baseball. to be put out by hitting a line drive caught on the fly by a player of the opposing team.
   2. to execute or perform:

      He lined out a few songs upon request.

1. to cover the inner side or surface of:

   to line the coat with blue silk.

2. to serve to cover:

   Velvet draperies lined the walls of the room.

3. to furnish or fill:

   to line shelves with provisions.

4. to reinforce the back of a painting or the spine of a book with glued fabric, paper, vellum, etc.:

   The spines were lined with long-fibered Japanese paper, extending partway over the front and back covers.

1. a thickness of glue, as between two veneers in a sheet of plywood.