Entry Word: line

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a series of persons or things arranged one behind another <we waited in the line for lunch for what seemed like hours>

Synonyms column, cue, file, queue, range, string, train

Related Words echelon, rank, row, tier; progression, sequence, succession; array

2 a way of acting or proceeding <since the election, the president has taken a very conservative line> — see course 1
3 the activity by which one regularly makes a living <my line of business is used cars, and have I got a deal for you!> — see occupation
4 a region of activity, knowledge, or influence <advanced mathematics is a little outside of my line, but Iʼll see what I can do to help> — see field 2
5 a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go <you really crossed the line with that outrageous display of bad behavior> — see limit
6 a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas) <the workers rushed to fix the leak in the gas line> — see pipe 1
7 a length of braided, flexible material that is used for tying or connecting things <he made sure to bring extra fishing line in case a fish broke free> — see cord
8 a group of vehicles traveling together or under one management <she owns a line of limousines> — see fleet
9 the direction along which something or someone moves <the airplane took a southerly line toward the capital> — see path 1
10 a group of persons who come from the same ancestor <a tenth of all island residents are members of the line of this early settler> — see family 1
11 the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended <he comes from a noble line that goes back several centuries> — see ancestry