Lines
/laɪnz/
Definitions
6 meaningsA long, narrow mark or a continuous series of points.
/laɪnz/
A long, narrow mark.
The artist drew a series of lines to create a picture.
💡 Simply: Think of a line as a drawing or a row of things. Like, a line on a paper, or the line of kids waiting for ice cream.
👶 For kids: A line is a straight mark that can be long or short.
More Examples
Please write your name on the top line.
The lines on her face showed her age.
How It's Used
"A straight line is the shortest distance between two points."
"The artist used bold lines to create the drawing's outline."
"She carefully wrote the story on several lines of paper."
A row of people or things, often arranged in a straight path.
/laɪnz/
A row or series of people or things.
Please wait in line until it's your turn.
💡 Simply: When you wait somewhere, like for a ride or for food, you're standing in a line.
👶 For kids: When people or things are standing or going in a row.
More Examples
The lines of code in the program were very long.
A line of trees lined the street.
How It's Used
"There was a long line at the grocery store checkout."
"The soldiers stood in formation in straight lines."
"The offensive line of the football team is important."
A boundary or limit, often marked or understood, that separates or defines something.
/laɪnz/
A boundary or limit.
We cannot cross the line.
💡 Simply: A line can be a limit, like, don't cross the line on your friend's drawing.
👶 For kids: A line is a limit like the lines on the ground in a game.
More Examples
The police had to draw a line between the criminals.
You crossed the line when you made fun of his clothes.
How It's Used
"The border is a line separating two countries."
"The judge told them not to cross the line."
"The player was out of bounds when he stepped over the line."
A route or path, often used for transportation or communication.
/laɪnz/
A route or path.
The train line was delayed due to an accident.
💡 Simply: A line is something like a road or a wire that helps you to connect from one place to another.
👶 For kids: The road or way that you can go, like a train line or phone line.
More Examples
I need to get a phone line installed.
This is a communication line.
How It's Used
"The train line connects several cities."
"I can't hear you; the line is bad."
"They got a new phone line."
The words of a song, poem, or other written text.
/laɪnz/
Words of a song or poem.
She had to learn her lines for the play.
💡 Simply: In a play or a song, the words people say or sing are called lines.
👶 For kids: The words in a song or story.
More Examples
The poem was beautiful, and I loved the lines.
The actor forgot his lines on stage.
How It's Used
"He memorized the lines of the poem."
"The actor forgot his lines on stage."
"The singer changed some of the lines in her song."
To form a line or row, often for a specific purpose.
/laɪnz/
To form a line or row.
The students lined up for lunch.
💡 Simply: To line up is to stand or put things in a row or line.
👶 For kids: To stand in a line.
More Examples
The soldiers lined up for inspection.
Let's line up to enter the game.
How It's Used
"The players lined up for the free throw."
"People lined the street to watch the parade."
Synonyms
File
Border
Boundary
Edge
Limit
Cable
Align
Arrange
Antonyms
Blank
Curve
Dot
Disorder
Group
Center
Blockade
Closure
Disperse
Idioms & expressions
read between the lines
To understand something that is not stated directly; to infer meaning.
"I had to read between the lines of his email to understand what he really meant."
toe the line
To follow the rules or regulations; to conform.
"If you want to keep your job, you'll have to toe the line."
get a line on something
To obtain information about something.
"We need to get a line on the competition before launching our new product."
From Middle English *line*, from Old English *līn* (“line”), from Proto-Germanic *līną* (“line”), from Latin *linum* (“flax, linen, a line made of flax”).
The word 'line' has been used in English since the Old English period, initially referring to a cord or thread.