line (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 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 ]

  3. a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extent

  4. 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 ]

  5. a pipe used to transport liquids or gases; a pipeline runs from the wells to the seaport

    [ Syn: pipeline ]

  6. the road consisting of railroad track and roadbed

    [ Syn: railway line , rail line ]

  7. a telephone connection

    [ Syn: telephone line , phone line , telephone circuit , subscriber line ]

  8. acting in conformity; in line with; he got out of line; toe the line'

  9. the descendants of one individual; his entire lineage has been warriors

    [ Syn: lineage , line of descent , descent , bloodline , blood line , blood , pedigree , ancestry , origin , parentage , stemma , stock ]

  10. something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and flexible; a washing line'

  11. the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money; hes not in my line of business

    [ Syn: occupation , business , job , line of work ]

  12. a mark that is long relative to its width; He drew a line on the chart'

  13. in games or sports; a mark indicating positions or bounds of the playing area

  14. (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 ]

  15. a particular kind of product or merchandise; a nice line of shoes

    [ Syn: product line , line of products , line of merchandise , business line , line of business ]

  16. a commercial organization serving as a common carrier

  17. space for one line of print (one column wide and 1/14 inch deep) used to measure advertising

    [ Syn: agate line ]

  18. the maximum credit that a customer is allowed

    [ Syn: credit line , line of credit , bank line , personal credit line , personal line of credit ]

  19. a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; she was humming an air from Beethoven

    [ Syn: tune , melody , air , strain , melodic line , melodic phrase ]

  20. 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'

  21. a short personal letter; drop me a line when you get there

    [ Syn: note , short letter , billet ]

  22. a conceptual separation or distinction; there is a narrow line between sanity and insanity

    [ Syn: dividing line , demarcation , contrast ]

  23. 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'

  24. 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 ]

  25. a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point

  26. 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'

  27. a single frequency (or very narrow band) of radiation in a spectrum

  28. a fortified position (especially one marking the most forward position of troops); they attacked the enemy's line'

  29. a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning; I cant follow your line of reasoning

    [ Syn: argumentation , logical argument , argument , line of reasoning ]

  30. a conductor for transmitting electrical or optical signals or electric power

    [ Syn: cable , transmission line ]

    line (v.)

  1. be in line with; form a line along; trees line the riverbank

    [ Syn: 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 , 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'

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.