~ 1
■ noun
1》 a long, narrow mark or band.
↘ Mathematics a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth.
↘a wrinkle in the skin.
↘a contour or out~ as a feature of design.
↘a curve connecting all points having a common property on a map or graph.
↘[as modifier ] Printing & Computing denoting an image consisting of ~s and solid areas, with no gradation of tone.
↘ informal a dose of cocaine laid out in a ~ ready to be taken.
↘each of (usually five) horizontal ~s forming a stave in musical notation.
2》 a length of cord, wire, etc. serving a purpose.
↘a telephone connection.
↘a railway track or route.
↘a company providing transport on particular routes: a shipping ~.
3》 a row of written or printed words.
↘( ~s ) the words of an actor's participle
↘( ~s ) Brit. a number of repetitions of a sentence written out as a school punishment.
4》 a row or connected series of people or things.
↘ N. Amer. a queue.
↘a range of commercial goods.
↘a sequence of notes or tones forming a melody.
5》 a notional limit or boundary.
↘the starting or finishing point in a race.
↘( the Line ) the equator.
6》 a sphere of activity.
↘a direction, course, or channel.
↘( ~s ) a way of doing something: thinking along the same ~s.
↘a policy.
7》 a connected series of military defences facing an enemy force.
↘(also ~ of battle ) a disposition of troops for action in battle.
↘( the ~ ) regular army regiments.
8》 informal a remark intended to achieve a purpose: a cheesy chat-up ~.
9》 Physics a narrow range of the spectrum that is noticeably brighter or darker than the adjacent parts.
■ verb
1》 stand or be positioned at intervals along.
2》 ( ~ someone/thing up ) arrange people or things in a row.
3》 ( ~ someone/thing up ) have someone or something prepared.
4》 [usu. as adjective ~d ] mark or cover with ~s.
5》 ( ~ out ) Baseball be caught out after hitting a ~ drive.
Phrases
above (or below ) the ~ Finance denoting or relating to money spent on items of current (or capital) expenditure.
come (or bring ) into ~ conform (or cause to conform).
the end of the ~ the point at which one can go no further.
get a ~ on informal learn something about.
in ~ under control.
in ~ for likely to receive.
in the ~ of duty while one is working (used mainly of the police or the armed forces).
in (or out of ) ~ with in (or not in) alignment or accordance with.
lay (or put ) it on the ~ speak frankly.
~ of communications the connections between an army in the field and its bases.
~ of credit an amount of credit extended to a borrower.
~ of fire the expected path of gunfire or a missile.
~ of force an imaginary ~ representing the strength and direction of a magnetic, gravitational, or electric field at any point.
~ of march the route taken in marching.
~ of scrimmage American Football the imaginary ~ separating the teams at the beginning of a play.
~ of sight a straight ~ along which an observer has unobstructed vision.
~ of vision the straight ~ along which an observer looks.
on the ~ at serious risk.
out of ~ informal behaving inappropriately or incorrectly.
Origin
OE līne 'rope, series', prob. of Gmc origin, from L. ~a (fibra) 'flax (fibre)', from L. linum 'flax', reinforced in ME by OFr. ligne , based on L. ~a .
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~ 2
■ verb cover the inner surface of (something) with a layer of different material.
↘form a layer on the inner surface of: hundreds of telegrams ~d the walls.
Phrases
~ one's pocket make money, especially dishonestly.
Origin
ME: from obs. ~ 'flax', with ref. to the use of ~n for linings.