line

noun

1. 1. a cord, rope, wire, string, or the like
   2. a long, fine, strong cord with a hook, sinker, leader, etc. used in fishing
   3. a clothesline
   4. a cord, steel tape, etc. used in measuring or leveling
   5. a rope, hawser, or cable used on a ship
   6. a rein: usually used in pl.
2. ☆
   1. a wire or wires connecting a telephone or telegraph system
   2. a system of such wires
   3. effective contact between telephones
   4. a telephone extension call me on line 9
3. any wire, pipe, system of pipes or wires, etc. for conducting water, gas, electricity, etc.
4. a very thin, threadlike mark; specif.,
   1. a long, thin mark made by a pencil, pen, chalk, etc.
   2. a similar mark cut in a hard surface, as by engraving
   3. a thin crease in the palm or on the face
5. a mark made on the ground in certain sports; specif.,
   1. any of the straight, narrow marks dividing or bounding a football field, tennis court, etc.: often used in combination sideline
   2. a mark indicating a starting point, a limit not to be crossed, or a point which must be reached or passed
6. ☆ a border or boundary the state line
7. a division between conditions, qualities, classes, etc.; limit; demarcation
8. outline; contour; lineament built along modern lines
9. Archaic lot in life; one's fate
10. a plan of construction; plan of making or doing
11. a row or series of persons or things of a particular kind; specif.,
    1. a row of written or printed characters extending across or part way across a page
    2. a single row of words or characters making up a unit of poetry, often of a specified number of feet
    3. ☆ a row of persons waiting in turn to buy something, enter a theater, etc.; queue
    4. an assembly line or a similar arrangement for the packing, shipping, etc. of merchandise
12. a connected series of persons or things following each other in time or place; succession a line of Democratic presidents
13. lineage
14. the descendants of a common ancestor or of a particular breed
15. ☆
    1. a transportation system or service consisting of regular trips by buses, ships, etc. between two or more points
    2. ☆ a company operating such a system
    3. one branch or division of such a system the main line of a railroad
    4. a single track of a railroad
16. the course or direction anything moving takes; path the line of fire
17. 1. a course of conduct, action, explanation, etc. the line of an argument
    2. a course of movement
18. a person's trade or occupation what's his line?
19. ☆ a stock of goods of a particular type considered with reference to quality, quantity, variety, etc.
20. 1. the field of one's special knowledge, interest, or ability
    2. a source or piece of information a line on a bargain
21. a short letter, note, or card drop me a line
22. all the speeches in a play; esp., the speeches of any single character
23. Informal persuasive or flattering talk that is insincere
24. ☆ Informal the odds given by a bookmaker on the contestants in a race, game, etc.
25. Slang a small quantity of cocaine sniffed at one time
26. Brit. a stock, supply, display, etc., as of literary or artistic qualities, methods, or techniques a nice line in irony
27. Chiefly Brit. a marriage certificate
28. ☆ Basketball
29. Bridge the horizontal line on a score sheet below which are recorded points that count toward a game and above which, all other points
30. ☆ Football
    1. line of scrimmage
    2. the players arranged in a row on either side of the line of scrimmage at the start of each play
31. Geog. an imaginary circle of the earth or of the celestial sphere, as the equator or the equinoctial circle
32. Hockey the two wings and the center playing together
33. Math.
    1. the path of a moving point, thought of as having length but not breadth, whether straight or curved
    2. such a path when considered perfectly straight
34. Mil.
    1. a formation of ships, troops, etc. in which elements are abreast of each other
    2. the area or position in closest contact with the enemy during combat
    3. the troops in this area
    4. the officers in immediate command of fighting ships or combat troops
    5. ☆ the combatant branches of the army as distinguished from the supporting branches and the staff
35. Music any of the long parallel marks forming the staff
36. TV a scanning line

Etymology: ME merging OE, a cord, with OFr ligne (both < L linea, lit., linen thread, n. use of fem. of lineus, of flax < linum, flax)

transitive verb lined, lin′·ing

1. to mark with lines
2. to draw or trace with or as with lines
3. to bring or cause to come into a straight row or into conformity; bring into alignment: often with up
4. to form a line along elms line the streets
5. to place objects along the edge of line the walk with flowers
6. ☆ Baseball to hit (a pitched ball) in a line drive

intransitive verb

1. to form a line: usually with up
2. ☆ Baseball to hit a line drive

adjective

of or having to do with the managing of departments, operations, etc. which are involved directly in producing income, as in production or sales as distinguished from those involved in routine internal functions

transitive verb lined, lin′·ing

1. to put a layer or lining of a different material on the inside of
2. to be used as a lining in cloth lined the trunk
3. to fill; stuff: now chiefly in line one's pockets, to make money, esp. greedily or unethically

Etymology: ME lynen < lin, long-fiber flax, linen cloth < OE, ult. < L linum, flax: from use of linen to line clothes