line

[ lahyn ]

/ laɪn /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR line ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface: a line down the middle of the page.

Mathematics. a continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point.

something arranged along a line, especially a straight line; a row or series: a line of trees.

a number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turns at or for something; queue.

something resembling a traced line, as a band of color, a seam, or a furrow: lines of stratification in rock.

a furrow or wrinkle on the face, neck, etc.: lines around the eyes.

an indication of demarcation; boundary; limit: the county line; a fine line between right and wrong.

a row of written or printed letters, words, etc.: a page of 30 lines.

a verse of poetry: A line in iambic pentameter contains five feet.

Usually lines. the words of an actor's part in a drama, musical comedy, etc.: to rehearse one's lines.

a short written message: Drop me a line when you're on vacation.

a system of public conveyances, as buses or trains, plying regularly over a fixed route: the northbound line at State Street.

a transportation or conveyance company: a steamship line.

a course of direction; route: the line of march down Main Street.

a course of action, procedure, thought, policy, etc.: That newspaper follows the communist line.

a piece of pertinent or useful information (usually followed by on): I've got a line on a good used car.

a series of generations of persons, animals, or plants descended from a common ancestor: a line of kings.

a department of activity; occupation or business: What line are you in?

Informal. a mode of conversation, especially one that is glib or exaggerated in order to impress or influence another person: He really handed her a line about his rich relatives.

a straight line drawn from an observed object to the fovea of the eye.

lines,

the outer form or proportions of a ship, building, etc.: a ship of fine lines.
a general form, as of an event or something that is made, which may be the basis of comparison, imitation, etc.: two books written along the same lines.
a person's lot or portion: to endure the hard lines of poverty.
Chiefly British. a certificate of marriage.

a circle of the terrestrial or celestial sphere: the equinoctial line.

banner(def 7).

Fine Arts.

a mark made by a pencil, brush, or the like, that defines the contour of a shape, forms hatching, etc.
the edge of a shape.

Television. one scanning line.

Telecommunications.

a telephone connection: Please hold the line.
a wire circuit connecting two or more pieces of electric apparatus, especially the wire or wires connecting points or stations in a telegraph or telephone system, or the system itself.

the line, Geography. the equator.

a stock of commercial goods of the same general class but having a range of styles, sizes, prices, or quality: the company's line of shoes.

an assembly line.

Law. a limit defining one estate from another; the outline or boundary of a piece of real estate.

Bridge. a line on a score sheet that separates points scored toward game (below the line) from points scored by setting a contract, having honors, etc. (above the line).

Music. any of the straight, horizontal, parallel strokes of the staff, or one placed above or below the staff.

Military.

a defensive position or front.
a series of fortifications: the Maginot line.
Usually lines. a distribution of troops, sentries, etc., for the defense of a position or for an attack: behind the enemy's lines.
the body of personnel constituting the combatant forces of an army, as distinguished from the supply services and staff corps.

an arrangement of troops of an army or of ships of a fleet as drawn up for battle: line of battle.

a body or formation of troops or ships drawn up abreast (distinguished from columndef 6).

the class of officers serving with combatant units or warships.

the regular forces of an army or navy.

that part of an administrative organization consisting of persons actively engaged on a given project.Compare staff¹(def 4).

a thread, string, cord, rope, or the like.

a clothesline: the wash hanging on the line.

a cord, wire, or the like, used for measuring or as a guide.

Nautical.

a pipe or hose: a steam line.
a rope or cable used at sea.

Slang. a small quantity of cocaine arranged in the form of a slender thread or line, as for sniffing.

Also ligne. a unit equal to 1/40 (0.025) inch (0.64 mm), for measuring the diameter of buttons.

Angling. a length of nylon, silk, linen, cord, or the like, to which are attached the leader, hook, sinker, float, etc.

Football.

either of the two front rows of opposing players lined up opposite each other on the line of scrimmage: a four-man line.
the line of scrimmage.

the betting odds established by bookmakers for events not covered by pari-mutuel betting, especially sporting events, as football or basketball.

Ice Hockey. the two wings and center who make up a team's offensive unit.

Fencing. any of the four divisions of the portion of a fencer's body on which a touch can be scored, taken as an area of attack or defense.

Textiles. the longer and preferred flax or hemp fibers.Compare tow²(def 2).

Fox Hunting. the trail of scent left by a fox.

a unit of length equivalent to 1/12 (0.0833) inch (2.12 millimeters).

Insurance.

a class or type of insurance: casualty line.
the amount of insurance written for a particular risk.

Australian Slang. a girl or woman.

verb (used without object), lined, lin·ing.

to take a position in a line; range (often followed by up): to line up before the start of a parade.

Baseball.

to hit a line drive.
to line out.

verb (used with object), lined, lin·ing.

to bring into a line, or into line with others (often followed by up): to line up troops.

to mark with a line or lines: to line paper for writing.

to sketch verbally or in writing; outline (often followed by out): We followed the plan he had lined out.

to arrange a line along: to line a coast with colonies.

to form a line along: Rocks lined the drive.

to apply eyeliner to (the eyes).

to delineate with or as if with lines; draw: to line the silhouette of a person's head.

Archaic. to measure or test with a line.

Verb Phrases

line out,

Baseball. to be put out by hitting a line drive caught on the fly by a player of the opposing team.
to execute or perform: He lined out a few songs upon request.

line up, to secure; make available: to line up support; to line up a speaker for the banquet.

RELATED WORDS

conform

Nearby words

lindsey, benjamin barr, lindsey, parts of, lindwall, lindy, lindy hop, line, line angle, line art, line block, line breeding, line call

Idioms

bring/come/get into line,

to become or cause to become straight, as in a row: The members of the marching band got into line.
to conform or cause to conform or agree: They were persuaded to come into line with the party's policy.

cross the line, to go beyond accepted standards of behavior: His outburst crossed the line between heated argument and offensive vilification.Sometimes cross a boundary.

down the line,

in all ways; thoroughly; fully: It's a fine house right down the line—well-built, roomy, attractive.
in the future.

draw the line, to impose a restriction; limit: They might exaggerate but would draw the line at outright lying.

go up in one's lines, Theater. to forget one's part during a performance.Also British, go up on one's lines.

hold the line, to maintain the status quo, especially in order to forestall unfavorable developments: We're trying to hold the line on prices.

in line,

in alignment; straight.
in conformity or agreement.
in control (of one's conduct): to keep one's temper in line.
prepared; ready.
waiting one behind the other in a queue: There were eight people in line at the teller's window.

in line with, in agreement or conformity with: The action taken was in line with her decision.

in the line of duty, in the execution of the duties belonging to some occupation, especially with regard to the responsibility for life and death: a policeman wounded in the line of duty.Also in line of duty.

lay it on the line, Informal.

to give money; pay.
to give the required information; speak directly or frankly: I'm going to stop being polite and lay it on the line.

off line,

occurring or functioning away from an assembly line, work process, etc.
not in operation; not functioning.

on a line, Baseball. (of a batted or thrown ball) through the air in an approximately straight line from the point of impact or delivery: hit on a line between third and short; thrown in on a line from the center fielder.

on line,

on or part of an assembly line: Production will be improved when the new welding equipment is on line.
in or into operation: The manufacturing facilities will be on line before November.
Computers. actively linked to a computer: The printer is not yet on line.
Chiefly New York City. line¹(def 73e).

on the line, Informal.

being risked or put in jeopardy; in a vulnerable position: Our prestige and honor are on the line.
immediately; readily: paid cash on the line.

out of line,

not in a straight line.
in disagreement with what is accepted or practiced.
Informal. impertinent; presumptuous: That last remark was out of line.

read between the lines, to understand the unexpressed but implied meaning of something said or written: Her letter sounded cheerful enough, but I read a certain sadness between the lines.

toe the line/mark,

to conform strictly to a rule, command, etc.
to shoulder responsibilities; do one's duty: He tried hard to toe the line on the new job.

Origin of line

before 1000; Middle English li(g)ne cord, rope, stroke, series, guiding rule, partly < Old French ligne ≪ Latin līnea, noun use of feminine of līneus flaxen (orig. applied to string), equivalent to līn(um) flax (see line²) + -eus -eous, partly continuing Old English līne string, row, series < Latin, as above

Related formslin·a·ble, line·a·ble, adjectiveline·less, adjectiveline·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for toe the line (1 of 2)

line

/ (laɪn) /

noun

a narrow continuous mark, as one made by a pencil, pen, or brush across a surface

such a mark cut into or raised from a surface

a thin indented mark or wrinkle

a straight or curved continuous trace having no breadth that is produced by a moving point

maths

any straight one-dimensional geometrical element whose identity is determined by two points. A line segment lies between any two points on a line
a set of points (x, y) that satisfies the equation y = mx + c, where m is the gradient and c is the intercept with the y -axis

a border or boundarythe county line

sport

a white or coloured band indicating a boundary or division on a field, track, etc
a mark or imaginary mark at which a race begins or ends

American football

See line of scrimmage
the players arranged in a row on either side of the line of scrimmage at the start of each play

a specified point of change or limitthe dividing line between sanity and madness

the edge or contour of a shape, as in sculpture or architecture, or a mark on a painting, drawing, etc, defining or suggesting this
the sum or type of such contours or marks, characteristic of a style or designthe line of a draughtsman; the line of a building

anything long, flexible, and thin, such as a wire or stringa washing line; a fishing line

a telephone connectiona direct line to New York

a conducting wire, cable, or circuit for making connections between pieces of electrical apparatus, such as a cable for electric-power transmission, telecommunications, etc
(as modifier)the line voltage

a system of travel or transportation, esp over agreed routesa shipping line

a company operating such a system

a route between two points on a railway

mainly British

a railway track, including the roadbed, sleepers, etc
one of the rails of such a track

NZ a roadway usually in a rural area

a course or direction of movement or advancethe line of flight of a bullet

a course or method of action, behaviour, etctake a new line with him

a policy or prescribed course of action or way of thinking (often in the phrases bring or come into line)

a field of study, interest, occupation, trade, or professionthis book is in your line

alignment; true (esp in the phrases in line, out of line)

one kind of product or articlea nice line in hats

NZ a collection of bales of wool all of the one type

a row of persons or thingsa line of cakes on the conveyor belt

a chronological or ancestral series, esp of peoplea line of prime ministers

a row of words printed or written across a page or column

a unit of verse consisting of the number of feet appropriate to the metre being used and written or printed with the words in a single row

a short letter; notejust a line to say thank you

a piece of useful information or hint about somethinggive me a line on his work

one of a number of narrow horizontal bands forming a television picture

physics a narrow band in an electromagnetic spectrum, resulting from a transition in an atom, ion, or molecule of a gas or plasma

music

any of the five horizontal marks that make up the staveCompare space (def. 10)
the musical part or melody notated on one such set
a discernible shape formed by sequences of notes or musical soundsa meandering melodic line
(in polyphonic music) a set of staves that are held together with a bracket or brace

a unit of magnetic flux equal to 1 maxwell

a defensive or fortified position, esp one that marks the most forward position in war or a national boundarythe front line

line ahead or line abreast a formation adopted by a naval unit for manoeuvring

a formation adopted by a body or a number of military units when drawn up abreast

the combatant forces of certain armies and navies, excluding supporting arms

fencing one of four divisions of the target on a fencer's body, considered as areas to which specific attacks are made

the scent left by a fox

the equator (esp in the phrase crossing the line)
any circle or arc on the terrestrial or celestial sphere

the amount of insurance written by an underwriter for a particular risk

US and Canadian a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for somethingAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): queue

slang a portion of a powdered drug for snorting

slang something said for effect, esp to solicit for money, sex, etche gave me his usual line

above the line

accounting denoting entries above a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed
denoting revenue transactions rather than capital transactions in a nation's accounts
marketing expenditure on media advertising through an agency, rather than internally arranged advertising, such as direct mail, free samples, etc
bridge denoting bonus points, marked above the horizontal line on the score card

below the line

accounting denoting entries below a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed
denoting capital transactions rather than revenue transactions in a nation's accounts
marketing denoting expenditure on advertising by other means than the traditional media, such as the provision of free gifts, special displays, direct mailshots, etc
bridge denoting points scored towards game and rubber, marked below the horizontal line on the score card

all along the line

at every stage in a series
in every detail

do a line Irish and Australian informal to associate (with a person of the opposite sex) regularly; go out (with)he is doing a line with her

draw the line to reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on)her father draws the line at her coming in after midnight

get a line on informal to obtain information about

hold the line

to keep a telephone line open
football to prevent the opponents from taking the ball forward
(of soldiers) to keep formation, as when under fire

in line for in the running for; a candidate forhe's in line for a directorship

in line with conforming to

in the line of duty as a necessary and usually undesired part of the performance of one's responsibilities

lay on the line or put on the line

to pay money
to speak frankly and directly
to risk (one's career, reputation, etc) on something

shoot a line informal to try to create a false image, as by boasting or exaggerating

step out of line to fail to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc

toe the line to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc

verb

(tr) to mark with a line or lines

(tr) to draw or represent with a line or lines

(tr) to be or put as a border totulips lined the lawns

to place in or form a row, series, or alignment

Word Origin for line

C13: partly from Old French ligne, ultimately from Latin līnea, n use of līneus flaxen, from līnum flax; partly from Old English līn, ultimately also from Latin līnum flax

British Dictionary definitions for toe the line (2 of 2)

line

/ (laɪn) /

verb (tr)

to attach an inside covering to (a garment, curtain, etc), as for protection, to hide the seaming, or so that it should hang well

to cover or fit the inside ofto line the walls with books

to fill plentifullya purse lined with money

to reinforce the back of (a book) with fabric, paper, etc

Word Origin for line

C14: ultimately from Latin līnum flax, since linings were often made of linen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for toe the line (1 of 3)

line

v.2

late 14c., "to tie with a cord," from line (n.). Meaning "to mark or mark off with lines" is from mid-15c. Sense of "to arrange in a line" is from 1640s; that of "to join a line" is by 1773. To line up "form a line" is attested by 1889, in U.S. football.

Word Origin and History for toe the line (1 of 3)

line

a Middle English merger of Old English line "cable, rope; series, row, row of letters; rule, direction," and Old French ligne "guideline, cord, string; lineage, descent;" both from Latin linea "linen thread, string, line," from phrase linea restis "linen cord," from fem. of lineus (adj.) "of linen," from linum "linen" (see linen).

Oldest sense is "rope, cord, string;" extended late 14c. to "a thread-like mark" (from sense "cord used by builders for making things level," mid-14c.), also "track, course, direction." Sense of "things or people arranged in a straight line" is from 1550s. That of "cord bearing hooks used in fishing" is from c.1300. Meaning "one's occupation, branch of business" is from 1630s, probably from misunderstood KJV translation of 2 Cor. x:16, "And not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand," where line translates Greek kanon, literally "measuring rod." Meaning "class of goods in stock" is from 1834. Meaning "telegraph wire" is from 1847 (later "telephone wire").

Meaning "policy or set of policies of a political faction" is 1892, American English, from notion of a procession of followers; this is the sense in party line. In British army, the Line (1802) is the regular, numbered troops, as distinguished from guards and auxiliaries. In the Navy (1704, e.g. ship of the line) it refers to the battle line. Lines "words of an actor's part" is from 1882. Lines of communication were originally transverse trenches in siegeworks.

Word Origin and History for toe the line (2 of 3)

line

v.1

"to cover the inner side of," late 14c., from Old English lin "linen cloth" (see linen). Linen was frequently used in the Middle Ages as a second layer of material on the inner side of a garment. Related: Lined; lining.

Medicine definitions for toe the line

line

[ līn ]

n.

The path traced by a moving point.

A thin continuous mark, as that made by a pen, pencil, or brush applied to a surface.

A crease in the skin, especially on the face; a wrinkle.

In anatomy, a long narrow mark, strip, or streak distinguished from adjacent tissue by color, texture, or elevation.

A real or imaginary mark positioned in relation to fixed points of reference.

A border, boundary, or demarcation.

A contour or an outline.

A mark used to define a shape or represent a contour.

Any of the marks that make up the formal design of a picture.

A cable, rope, string, cord, or wire.

A general method, manner, or course of procedure.

A manner or course of procedure determined by a specified factor.

An official or prescribed policy.

Ancestry or lineage.

A series of persons, especially from one family, who succeed each other.

Science definitions for toe the line

line

[ līn ]

A geometric figure formed by a point moving in a fixed direction and in the reverse direction. The intersection of two planes is a line.♦ The part of a line that lies between two points on the line is called a line segment.

Culture definitions for toe the line

line

A set of points that have one dimension — length — but no width or height. (See coordinates.)

Idioms and Phrases with toe the line (1 of 2)

toe the line

Also, toe the mark. Meet a standard, abide by the rules, as in The new director will make us toe the line, I'm sure, or At daycare Brian has to toe the mark, but at home his mother's quite lenient. This idiom refers to runners in a race placing their toes on the starting line and not moving until the starting signal. Its figurative use dates from the early 1800s.

Idioms and Phrases with toe the line (2 of 2)

line

In addition to the idioms beginning with line

line of fire, in the
line one's pockets
line up

also see:

all along (the line)
along the lines of
blow it (one's lines)
bottom line
chow down (line)
down the line
draw a line
draw the line at
drop a line
end of the line
fall in line
feed someone a line
firing line
get a line on
go on (line)
hard line
hold the line
hook, line, and sinker
hot line
in line
lay on the line
least resistance, line of
on line
out of line
party line
read between the lines
sign on the dotted line
somewhere along the line
step out of line
toe the line

line

noun

verb (used without object), lined, lin·ing.

verb (used with object), lined, lin·ing.

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of line

British Dictionary definitions for toe the line (1 of 2)

line

noun

verb

Word Origin for line

British Dictionary definitions for toe the line (2 of 2)

line

verb (tr)

Word Origin for line

Word Origin and History for toe the line (1 of 3)

line

Word Origin and History for toe the line (1 of 3)

line

Word Origin and History for toe the line (2 of 3)

line

Medicine definitions for toe the line

line

n.

Science definitions for toe the line

line

Culture definitions for toe the line

line

Idioms and Phrases with toe the line (1 of 2)

toe the line

Idioms and Phrases with toe the line (2 of 2)

line