1a long, narrow mark or band:a row of closely spaced dots will look like a continuous lineI can’t draw a straight line
Mathematics a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth.
a direct course:the ball rose in a straight line
a furrow or wrinkle in the skin, especially on the face:there were new lines round her eyes and mouthlaughter lines
a contour or outline considered as a feature of design or composition:crisp architectural lines [mass noun]:the artist’s use of clean line and colour
(on a map or graph) a curve connecting all points having a specified common property.
a line marking the starting or finishing point in a race:a good position at the start line will put you in the front rank on the first leg
(in football, hockey, etc.) the goal line:Dunne was on hand to bundle the ball over the linevideo evidence suggests the ball did not cross the line
(the Line) the equator.
a notional limit or boundary:the issue of peace cut across class linestelevision blurs the line between news and entertainment
each of the very narrow horizontal sections forming a television picture.
Physics a narrow range of the spectrum that is noticeably brighter or darker than the adjacent parts.
(the line) the level of the base of most letters, such as h and x, in printing and writing.
[as modifier] Printing & Computing denoting an image consisting of lines and solid areas, with no gradation of tone:a line blockline art
each of (usually five) horizontal lines forming a stave in musical notation.
a sequence of notes or tones forming an instrumental or vocal melody:a powerful melodic line
informal a dose of a powdered narcotic drug, especially cocaine, laid out in a line ready to be taken.
2a length of cord, rope, wire, or other material serving a particular purpose:Lily pegged the washing on the line
a telephone connection or service:I’ve got Inspector Jackson on the line for youa freephone advice line
a railway track:passengers were hit by delays caused by leaves on the line
a branch or route of a railway system:the Glasgow to London line
a company that provides ships, aircraft, or buses on particular routes on a regular basis:a major shipping line
3a horizontal row of written or printed words:take the cursor up one line and press the delete key
a part of a poem or song forming one row of written or printed words:each stanza has eight lines
(lines) the words of an actor’s part in a play or film:he couldn’t seem to remember his lines and had to read his dialogue off boards
(lines) British an amount of text or number of repetitions of a sentence written out as a school punishment:five hundred lines to anyone caught sneaking in before the bell!
4a row of people or things:a line of altar boys proceeded down the aisle
North American a queue.
a connected series of people following one another in time (used especially of several generations of a family):we follow the history of a family through the male line
a series of related things:the bill is the latest in a long line of measures to protect society from criminals
a range of commercial goods:the company intends to hire more people and expand its product line
5an area or branch of activity:the stresses unique to their line of work
a direction, course, or channel:he opened another line of attack
(lines) a manner of doing or thinking about something:you can’t run a business on these linesthe superintendent was thinking along the same lines
an agreed approach; a policy:the official line is that there were no chemical attacks on allied troops
informal a false or exaggerated remark or story:he fed me a line about some nightclubbing Japanese photographernone of my chat-up lines ever worked
6a connected series of military fieldworks or defences facing an enemy force:raids behind enemy lines
an arrangement of soldiers or ships in a column or line formation; a line of battle.
(the line) regular army regiments (as opposed to auxiliary forces or household troops).
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Universal
1stand or be positioned at intervals along:a processional route lined by people waving flags
2 (usually as adjective lined) mark or cover with lines:a thin woman with a lined facelined paper
above the line
1 Finance denoting or relating to money spent on items of current expenditure:£75 million charges taken above the line for redundancies and property write-offs
2 Bridge denoting bonus points and penalty points, which do not count towards the game.
all (the way) down (or along) the line
at every point or stage:the mistakes were due to lack of care all down the line
along (or down) the line
at a further, later, or unspecified point:I knew that somewhere down the line there would be an inquest
below the line
1 Finance denoting or relating to money spent on items of capital expenditure:a £4 million extraordinary charge below the line
2 Bridge denoting points for tricks bid and won, which count towards the game.
bring someone/thing into line
cause someone or something to conform:the change in the law will bring Britain into line with Europe
come down to the line
(of a race) be closely fought right until the end.
come into line
conform:Britain has come into line with other Western democracies in giving the vote to its citizens living abroad
do a line with
Irish & NZ informal have a regular romantic or sexual romantic relationship with (someone):I knew if I went home for Christmas I’d have to pretend I was doing a line with some man
the end of the line
see the end of the road at end. the point at which further effort is unproductive or one can go no further.
get a line on
informal learn something about:the police had no difficulty getting a line on the man
in line
1under control:that threat kept a lot of people in line
2chiefly North American in a queue:we stood in line at the counter
in line for
likely to receive:the club are in line for a windfall of three hundred thousand pounds
in the line of duty
while one is working (used mainly of police officers or soldiers):an inspector’s funeral is given only for those killed in the line of duty
in (or out of) line with
in (or not in) alignment or accordance with:remuneration is in line with comparable international organizations
lay (or put) it on the line
speak frankly:I’m going to have to lay it on the line, tell them what really has been happening
(draw) a line in the sand
(state that one has reached) a point beyond which one will not go.
line abreast
Nautical a formation in which a number of ships travel side by side.
line ahead
Nautical a formation in which a number of ships follow one another in a line.
line astern
a formation in which a number of aircraft or ships follow one another in a line.
line of battle
a disposition of troops for action in battle.
historical a battle formation of warships following one another in a line.
line of communications
a means of connection between an army in the field and its bases.
line of credit
an amount of credit extended to a borrower.
line of fire
the expected path of gunfire or a missile:residents within line of fire were evacuated from their homes
line of flight
a route taken through the air.
line of force
an imaginary line which represents the strength and direction of a magnetic, gravitational, or electric field at any point.
