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Glite Dictionary
to give a line

to give a line

8.0
To tell someone a false story to impress or trick them
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : dar una historia
  • She realized he was giving a line when his story kept changing.

Examples

  • If you're late, don't give a line about the traffic again.

  • Don't believe everything he says; he's just trying to give a line to impress you.

  • Don't give a line to her!

  • He always gives a line when he wants something.

  • Don't believe his excuses; he always gives a line to get out of trouble.

  • When she heard his elaborate tale, she knew he was just trying to give a line.

  • My friend is good at giving a line when he wants to charm someone.

Synonyms

to lie
vsto give a line
∞ 1.3

To say something that is not true to trick someone

often prefers flattering fabricated tales instead of direct straightforward falsehoods
to deceive
vsto give a line
270 3.9

To make someone believe something that is not true to get an advantage

usually uses flattering or exaggerated storytelling rather than blunt trickery
to misrepresent
vsto give a line
71 6.9

Give a false story about someone or something to trick people

is more conversational and often uses flattering exaggeration to mislead
to gloss
vsto give a line
23 8.0

To make something sound better to hide problems

uses more open invention and flattering storytelling to deceive listeners
to lie through one's teeth
vsto give a line
  • Informal
11 7.6

Say something that is not true in a bold, obvious way

uses crafted flattering stories rather than blunt, shameless false statements
to blow smoke
vsto give a line
  • Informal
11 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

is similar but often adds flattery and fabricated narrative to mislead
to stretch the truth
vsto give a line
  • Informal
5 5.3

To make a story seem better than it really is

often adds flattering invention as well as exaggeration to mislead
to fib
vsto give a line
  • Informal
4 3.9

To tell a small lie to avoid hurting someone

is larger and more deliberate, using invented flattering stories to mislead
to put one over on
vsto give a line
  • Informal
4 7.9

To trick someone into believing something false

often does this through flattering or elaborate invented tales rather than simple fraud
to bend the truth
vsto give a line
3 5.9

To say something that is not exactly what happened to make it look better

is stronger, often inventing whole stories to flatter or deceive
to spin a yarn
vsto give a line
  • Informal
1 6.8

To tell a long made-up or exaggerated story

is more about inventing to flatter or trick rather than just entertain
to spin a story
vsto give a line
1 4.8

Make up and tell a tale, often to entertain or avoid trouble

leans more toward flattering or deceptive invention rather than simple embellishment
to give line
vsto give a line
  • Informal
8.8

Say something untrue to distract people from the truth

tells fabricated or flattering stories rather than only diverting attention
to hoke up
vsto give a line
  • Informal
9.9

To invent a story or excuse that is not true

is used to flatter or deceive someone with a crafted tale instead
to pull the long bow
vsto give a line
  • Archaic
9.1

To tell a story in a way that makes what happened sound bigger or not true

focuses more on deliberate flattery or deception than mere drama
to overtell
vsto give a line
7.1

To make a story sound more exciting or important than it really is

adds the intent to flatter or mislead rather than just add drama
to fudge the details
vsto give a line
  • Informal
7.7

Change facts on purpose to make something seem better

tends to create whole fabricated or flattering accounts rather than only tweak facts
to put one across
vsto give a line
  • UK
9.0

Make someone believe something false to trick them

is more about flattering invention than direct trickery in many cases
to flam
vsto give a line
  • Slang
9.9

To trick or cheat someone by lying

leans more toward flattering or conversational invention rather than straightforward tricking
feed me that bullplop
vsto give a line
  • Offensive
9.9

To say lies or nonsense to trick someone

more often aims to flatter or charm with invented stories rather than simple nonsense

Antonyms

to tell the truth
814 2.7

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

How Deceptive

to fabricate
50 7.3
to lie
∞ 1.3
to give a line
  • Informal
8.0

Surface Forms

give a line infinitive
gave a line past
given a line past participle
giving a line present participle
gives a line third person singular

Morphology

give + a + line

The sense follows from 'give' (to provide) plus 'line' conceived as a practiced or persuasive remark, so the idea of providing a rehearsed, flattering or deceptive remark is compositionally plausible. However, the specialized sense of 'line' as a persuasive/false remark is somewhat idiomatic and not guaranteed for a B1 learner who only knows basic senses of 'line', making the expression partially predictable but requiring prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom give a line comes from actors and salespeople who used a short, prepared sentence called a line to charm or trick people. So to give a line today means 'to tell a made-up or flattering story'.