l-line
A1Neutral, suitable for all contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A long, narrow mark or band on a surface; a length of cord, rope, or wire used for a particular purpose.
A series of people or things arranged in succession; a boundary, limit, or border; a particular area of interest, business, or work; a remark, rule, or concept used to guide thought or action.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly polysemous word with dozens of distinct senses across various fields (e.g., geometry, art, transport, telecommunications, business, military). The core meaning involves a mark or a connection between two points.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. In telephony, UK uses 'queue' more for waiting people; US uses 'line'. In public transport, UK 'tube line', US 'subway line'.
Connotations
Broadly similar. 'Bottom line' (finance) is common in both. 'Crossing the line' (transgression) is identical.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties, though specific collocations may vary in prevalence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
line + N (line manager, line item)V + line (draw a line, cross the line)Adj + line (hard line, thin line)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Draw the line (at sth)”
- “Read between the lines”
- “In the line of duty”
- “Toe the line”
- “Hold the line”
- “On the line”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a type of product ('our new line of clothing'), responsibility ('line manager'), or profit ('bottom line').
Academic
Used in geometry ('a line segment'), poetry ('a line of verse'), or argument ('line of reasoning').
Everyday
Refers to a queue ('wait in line'), a phone connection ('the line is busy'), or a short message ('drop me a line').
Technical
In computing ('command line'), manufacturing ('production line'), or sport ('offside line').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The shelves were lined with old books.
- Crowds lined the route of the parade.
American English
- We lined the drawers with paper.
- The street was lined with maple trees.
adverb
British English
- The children stood up line astern.
- The ships sailed line abreast.
American English
- Place the chairs line astern for the drill.
- The team moved forward line abreast.
adjective
British English
- He is a line manager in the sales department.
- We need a line drawing for the manual.
American English
- She's the line producer for the film.
- The line graph shows a clear upward trend.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Draw a straight line.
- Please wait in line.
- I can't hear you; the line is bad.
- The company is launching a new product line.
- He works on the production line at the factory.
- There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
- The minister was grilled over the government's official line on the crisis.
- Her line manager approved the holiday request.
- The poem's opening line is very famous.
- The novel blurs the line between fiction and autobiography.
- The new policy toes the party line but lacks innovation.
- The defending champion was knocked out in the early line-up for the tournament.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'LINE' on a piece of paper. It's Long, INch-wide, and Edges the page.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A PATH/JOURNEY ('line of work', 'line of succession'). COMMUNICATION IS A CONDUIT ('phone line').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation for 'assembly line' (конвейер). 'Line manager' is not линейный менеджер, but непосредственный руководитель. 'Wait in line' is стоять в очереди, not в линии.
Common Mistakes
- *I'll write you a line in the post. (Correct: 'I'll drop you a line.')
- *He works in the production line. (Correct: 'He works on the production line.')
- *My line of work is engineer. (Correct: 'My line of work is engineering.')
Practice
Quiz
What does 'to drop someone a line' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Online' (one word) is the modern, standard spelling for both adjectives and adverbs.
Both mean a sequence of waiting people. 'Queue' is strongly preferred in British English, while 'line' is standard in American English. In UK English, 'line' is also used for phone connections and transport routes.
Yes. It commonly means 'to cover the inner surface of something' (e.g., 'line a jacket') or 'to form a row along the side of something' (e.g., 'trees line the avenue').
It refers to the net profit or loss figure at the bottom of a financial statement. Figuratively, it means the most important or decisive factor in a situation.