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Glite Dictionary
snap line

snap line

1 5.6
A string with chalk on it that you stretch and snap to mark a straight line
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : línea de tiza
  • Before laying the tiles, they used a snap line to mark the guidelines on the floor.

Examples

  • Don't forget to bring a snap line for the project.

  • A quick pull of the snap line leaves a visible chalk mark to follow during installation.

  • The carpenter stretched the snap line across the wall to ensure the shelves were level.

  • The carpenter used a snap line to mark the wall.

  • To mark the foundation of the wall, the builder used a snap line to ensure a straight line.

  • Before starting the project, he stretched the snap line across the ground to create a clear boundary.

  • Using a snap line, she was able to draw a perfectly straight line for the new fence.

Synonyms

chalk line
vssnap line
  • Specialized
2 3.9

A string covered with chalk used to mark a straight line on a surface

focuses on snapping the taut string to make the mark rather than the object
snapline
vssnap line
  • Specialized
8.4

A string covered with chalk that you snap to mark straight lines on walls or floors

is the two-word form rather than one-word spelling

Surface Forms

snap line singular
snap lines plural

Morphology

snap + line

The compound combines 'snap' (a sudden sharp action) and 'line' (a mark), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer this refers to a line produced by snapping (i.e. the chalked string that is snapped to mark a straight line). The term names the action and resulting mark in a literal, mechanical way, making the meaning directly derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Snap line comes from a simple tool: a chalk-covered string that you stretch tight and snap so the chalk hits the surface and leaves a straight line. So a snap line is the string used 'to mark a straight line' when building or fitting things.