LINE

I. noun Usage: often attributive see: ~n Date: before 12th century 1. a length of cord or cord-like material ; as, a comparatively strong slender cord, clothes~ , a rope used on shipboard, b. a device for catching fish consisting of a cord with hooks and other fishing gear, scope for activity ; rope , a length of material used in measuring and leveling, d. piping for conveying a fluid (as steam), a narrow short synthetic tube that is inserted approximately one inch into a vein (as of the arm) to provide temporary intravenous access for the administration of fluid, medication, or nutrients, e. a wire or pair of wires connecting one telegraph or telephone station with another or a whole system of such wires, a telephone connection , the principal circuits of an electric power system, 2. a. a horizontal row of written or printed characters, a unit in the rhythmic structure of verse formed by the grouping of a number of the smallest units of the rhythm (as metrical feet), a distinct segment of a computer program containing a single command or a small number of commands, a short letter ; note , a certificate of marriage, the words making up a part in a drama, any of the successive horizontal rows of picture elements on the screen of a cathode-ray tube (as a television screen), 3. something (as a ridge or seam) that is distinct, elongated, and narrow, a narrow crease (as on the face) ; wrinkle , the course or direction of something in motion ; route , d. a state of agreement or conformity ; accordance , a state of order, control, or obedience , e. a boundary of an area , distinction 2 , the track and roadbed of a railway, an amount of cocaine that is arranged in a ~ to be inhaled through the nose, 4. a course of conduct, action, or thought, a field of activity or interest, a glib often persuasive way of talking, 5. limit , restraint , position in life ; lot , 6. a. family , ~age , a strain produced and maintained especially by selective breeding or biological culture, a chronological series, dispositions made to cover extended military positions and presenting a front to the enemy, a military formation in which the different elements are abreast of each other, naval ships arranged in a regular order, e. the combatant forces of an army distinguished from the staff corps and supply services, the force of a regular navy, f. officers of the navy eligible for command at sea distinguished from officers of the staff, officers of the army belonging to a combatant branch, an arrangement or placement of persons or objects of one kind in an orderly series , h. a group of public conveyances plying regularly under one management over a route, a system of transportation together with its equipment, routes, and appurtenances, a succession of musical notes especially considered in melodic phrases, j. an arrangement of operations in manufacturing permitting sequential occurrence on various stages of production, the personnel of an organization that are responsible for its stated objective, k. the seven players including center, two guards, two tackles, and two ends who in offensive football play ~ up on or within one foot of the ~ of scrimmage, the players who in defensive play ~ up within one yard of the ~ of scrimmage, a group of three players including a left winger, center, and right winger who play together as a unit in hockey, a narrow elongated mark drawn or projected: as, a. a circle of latitude or longitude on a map, equator , a mark (as on a map) recording a boundary, division, or contour, any of the horizontal parallel strokes on a music staff on or between which notes are placed, a mark (as by pencil) that forms part of the formal design of a picture distinguished from the shading or color, a division on a bridge score dividing the score for bonuses from that for tricks, f. a demarcation of a limit with reference to which the playing of some game or sport is regulated, a marked or imaginary ~ across a playing area (as a football field) parallel to the end ~, ~ of scrimmage , a straight or curved geometric element that is generated by a moving point and that has extension only along the path of the point ; curve , 9. a defining out~ ; contour , a general plan ; model , 10. pica , the unit of fineness of halftones expressed as the number of screen ~s to the ~ar inch, merchandise or services of the same general class for sale or regularly available, 12. a source of information ; insight , betting odds offered by a bookmaker especially on a sporting event, a complete game of 10 frames in bowling, ~ drive , liny also ~y adjective II. verb (~d; lining) Date: 1530 transitive verb to mark or cover with a ~ or ~s , to depict with ~s ; draw , to place or form a ~ along , to form into a ~ or ~s ; align , to hit (as a baseball) hard and in a usually straight ~, intransitive verb to hit a ~ drive in baseball, to come into the correct relative position ; align , III. transitive verb (~d; lining) Etymology: Middle English, from ~ flax, from Old English līn Date: 14th century to cover the inner surface of , to put something in the inside of ; fill , to serve as the lining of , fortify