1. A mark that is long relative to its width
   "He drew a line on the chart"
    
2. A length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point
   "He drew a straight line across the page"
    
3. A formation of people or things one beside another
   "the cast stood in line for the curtain call"; "the line of soldiers advanced with their bayonets fixed"; "they were arrayed in line of battle"
    
4. 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"
    
5. A conductor for transmitting electrical or optical signals or electric power
   "The new transmission line improved power distribution to remote areas";
   - cable, transmission line
    
6. 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"
    
7. (military) a fortified position (especially one marking the most forward position of troops)
   "they attacked the enemy's line"
    
8. A spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extent
   "The finish line was just ahead"
    
9. A connected series of events, actions or developments
   "historians can only point out those lines for which evidence is available";
   - course
    
10. A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning
    "I can't follow your line of reasoning";
    - argumentation, logical argument, argument, line of reasoning
     
11. A single frequency (or very narrow band) of radiation in a spectrum
    "The spectroscope revealed a bright emission line characteristic of hydrogen"
     
12. [N. Amer] A line of people or vehicles waiting for something
    "The waiting line for the new iPhone release stretched around the block";
    - queue, waiting line [N. Amer]
     
13. Something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and flexible
    "a washing line"
     
14. A pipe used to transport liquids or gases
    "a line runs from the wells to the seaport";
    - pipeline
     
15. The road consisting of railway track and roadbed
    "The new rail line connected the two cities, reducing travel time significantly";
    - railway line [Brit, Cdn], rail line, railroad line [N. Amer]
     
16. A telephone connection
    "The storm knocked out several phone lines in the neighbourhood";
    - telephone line, phone line, telephone circuit, subscriber line
     
17. A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
    "she was humming a melodic line from Beethoven";
    - tune, melody, air, strain, melodic line, melodic phrase
     
18. A slight depression or fold in the smoothness of a surface
    "his face has many lines";
    - wrinkle, furrow, crease, crinkle, seam
     
19. Acting in conformity
    "toe the line"; "in line with"; "he got out of line"
     
20. The hereditary derivation of an individual
    "his entire line has been warriors"; "The horse's blood line could be traced back to champion racers";
    - lineage, line of descent, descent, bloodline, blood line, blood, pedigree, ancestry, origin, parentage, stemma, stock
     
21. In games or sports; a mark indicating positions or bounds of the playing area
    "The tennis ball landed right on the line"
     
22. (often plural) a means of communication or access
    "lines of communication were set up between the two firms";
    - channel, communication channel
     
23. A particular kind of product or merchandise
    "a nice line of shoes"; "a nice product line of shoes"; "The company expanded its line of products to include organic foods"; "The store introduced a new line of merchandise for the summer season"; "The company decided to discontinue its unprofitable business line";
    - product line, line of products, line of merchandise, business line, line of business
     
24. A commercial organization serving as a common carrier
    "They booked passage on a cruise line"
     
25. Space for one line of print (one column wide and 1/14 inch deep) used to measure advertising
    "The classified ad cost was calculated based on agate lines";
    - agate line
     
26. The maximum credit that a customer is allowed
    "She had a $10,000 line of credit with her bank";
    - credit line, line of credit, bank line, personal credit line, personal line of credit
     
27. Persuasive but insincere talk that is usually intended to deceive or impress
    "that salesman must have practised his fast line of talk"; "‘let me show you my etchings’ is a rather worn line"; "he has a smooth line but I didn't fall for it"
     
28. A short personal letter
    "drop me a line when you get there";
    - note, short letter, billet
     
29. A conceptual separation or distinction
    "there is a narrow line between sanity and insanity";
    - dividing line, demarcation, contrast
     
30. Mechanical system in a factory whereby an article is conveyed through sites at which successive operations are performed on it
    "The cars moved efficiently along the assembly line";
    - production line, assembly line
     
31. What someone normally does to earn money; a person's profession, work, or trade
    "he's not in my line of business"; "As a chef, his line of work involves long hours in the kitchen";
    - occupation, business, job, line of work
     
32. [slang] Powdered narcotic laid out in a line for snorting
    "snort a line"

1. Be in line with; form a line along
   "trees line the riverbank";
   - run along
    
2. Make a mark or lines on a surface
   "draw a line";
   - trace, draw, describe, delineate
    
3. Mark with lines
   "sorrow had lined his face"
    
4. Cover the interior of
   "line the gloves"; "line a chimney"
    
5. Fill plentifully
   "line one's pockets"
    
6. Reinforce with fabric
   "lined books are more enduring"

Derived forms: lining, lined, lines

Type of: abidance, abstract thought, activity, area unit, artefact [Brit], artifact [N. Amer], carrier, common carrier, communicating, communication, compliance, conductor, conformation, conformity, connecter, connection, connective, connector, connexion [Brit], cover, credit, depression, differentiation, distinction, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic wave, family tree, fill, fill up, form, formation, genealogy, impression, imprint, lie, location, logical thinking, mark, mechanical system, merch [informal], merchandise, military position, music, nonparticulate radiation, personal letter, persuasion, pipage, pipe, piping, position, print, product, reasoning, reenforce, reinforce, road, route, score, series, shape, square measure, suasion [rare], text, textual matter, ware

Part of: cable, cable system, cable television, cable television service, cutis, electromagnetic spectrum, factory, letter, manufactory [archaic], manufacturing plant, mill, missive, phone system, skin, stanza, tegument, telephone system, transit [N. Amer], transportation, transportation system

Encyclopedia: Line, Peter