Meaning

• A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.

  "The arrow descended in a curved line."

• A rope, cord, string, or thread, of any thickness.

• A hose or pipe, of any size.

  "a brake line"

• Direction, path.

  "the line of sight"

• The wire connecting one telegraphic station with another, a telephone or internet cable between two points: a telephone or network connection.

  "I tried to make a call, but the line was dead."

• A clothesline.

• A letter, a written form of communication.

  "Drop me a line."

• A connected series of public conveyances, as a roadbed or railway track; and hence, an established arrangement for forwarding merchandise, etc.

  "a line of stages"

• A trench or rampart, or the non-physical demarcation of the extent of the territory occupied by specified forces.

• The exterior limit of a figure or territory: a boundary, contour, or outline; a demarcation.

• A long tape or ribbon marked with units for measuring; a tape measure.

• A measuring line or cord.

• That which was measured by a line, such as a field or any piece of land set apart; hence, allotted place of abode.

• A threadlike crease or wrinkle marking the face, hand, or body; hence, a characteristic mark.

• Lineament; feature; figure (of one's body).

• A more-or-less straight sequence of people, objects, etc., either arranged as a queue or column and often waiting to be processed or dealt with, or arranged abreast of one another in a row (and contrasted with a column), as in a military formation.

  "The line forms on the right."

• The regular infantry of an army, as distinguished from militia, guards, volunteer corps, cavalry, artillery etc.

• A series or succession of ancestors or descendants of a given person; a family or race; compare lineage.

• A small amount of text. Specifically:

• Course of conduct, thought, occupation, or policy; method of argument; department of industry, trade, or intellectual activity.

• The official, stated position (or set of positions) of an individual or group, particularly a political or religious faction.

  "Remember, your answers must match the party line."

• A set of products or services sold by a business, or by extension, the business itself.

  "How many buses does the line have?"

• A number of shares taken by a jobber.

• A measure of length:

• A maxwell, a unit of magnetic flux.

• (1800s, with "the") The batter’s box.

• The position in which the fencers hold their swords.

• Proper relative position or adjustment (of parts, not as to design or proportion, but with reference to smooth working).

  "the engine is in line / out of line"

• A small path-shaped portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug, especially cocaine.

• Instruction; doctrine.

• Population of cells derived from a single cell and containing the same genetic makeup.

• (perfusion line) a set composed of a spike, a drip chamber, a clamp, a Y-injection site, a three-way stopcock and a catheter.

• A group of forwards that play together.

• A vascular catheter.

  "line sepsis"

Meaning

• To place (objects) into a line (usually used with "up"); to form into a line; to align.

  "to line troops"

• To place persons or things along the side of for security or defense; to strengthen by adding; to fortify.

  "to line works with soldiers"

• To form a line along.

• To mark with a line or lines, to cover with lines.

  "to line a copy book"

• To represent by lines; to delineate; to portray.

• To read or repeat line by line.

  "to line out a hymn"

• To hit a line drive; to hit a line drive which is caught for an out. Compare fly and ground.

  "Jones lined to left in his last at-bat."

• To track (wild bees) to their nest by following their line of flight.

• To measure.