line
- noun
- /laɪn/
- I forgot to ask her what the missing line in the song was.
- a short line
- write a few lines
- a few lines
Examples
-
This line in the letter is the most telling line in this entire letter.
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What was the line you were looking for?
-
So my first line is thanks for building this.
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"Our house is little," was the line they used, "but it's a pretty house, and dry."
Fiction book (1991) -
So I'm just going to read one line from an e-mail exchange.
-
Their stories are often relegated to a single line in a history book or more often simply left out.
Academic text (2015) -
I'll just read one line of this that Subkowski has in here.
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Hey, drop me a line next time you're in Vegas.
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I guess I got waylaid somewhere along the line.
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Thank you for your last line; it meant a lot to me.
Synonyms
Idioms
- Formal
While doing your job, especially in police, military, or other official work
- Informal
To take money for yourself in a dishonest way using a job or position
Compounds
- US
A marked line on a football field showing how many yards the ball is from the nearest goal line
A line of workers outside a workplace during a strike who stand to protest and stop others entering
- Jargon
An invisible line on a football field where teams stand before each play
- Specialized
A series of machines and workers in a factory that make a product step by step
- Specialized
A single entry in a budget or bill that shows how much money it is and what it is for
- Specialized
A low rhythm or melody played by bass instruments that gives music its beat and depth
A line that shows the edge of a piece of land and separates it from a neighbor's
A line of people at a government office waiting to get job help or benefit money
- Specialized
A straight line on a graph showing the general direction of data points
- Specialized
A pipe that carries dirty water and waste from buildings to a place that cleans it
How Long
Surface Forms
Etymology
Line used for a short note comes from the idea of a single written row or sentence on paper, so asking someone to 'drop me a line' means send a short message. That's why a line can mean a quick note or letter.