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Glite Dictionary
water line

water line

7 3.0
A mark on a ship or wall that shows how high the water reaches
  • noun
translation icon : línea de agua
  • A water line was connected to the composting site to maintain adequate moisture.

Examples

  • An inspection of the entire water line system confirmed these suspicions.

    Academic text (2003)

  • We could see the water line clearly marked on the old boat, showing its original water level before it was repaired.

  • Along the side, below the water line.

    Titanic (1997)

  • Just be careful not to block off spaces that have water tanks or water lines.

    Blog text (9)

  • You can't go past the water line.

    Free Guy (2021)

  • Soon he was walking below the high-water line.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Since these areas are above the water line, progression of the corrosion can be quite slow.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Normally, the company, CPI, charges $800 for cutting and capping a water line for a house.

    Blog text (9)

  • A rising tide tends to concentrate resting seals near the water line as they retreat up the beach ahead of the rising water.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Mercy Hospital had a direct water line from the river through a ROWPU to a fire hydrant to the hospital's plumbing system.

    Academic text (1993)

Synonyms

water level
vswater line
20 2.1

How high the water surface is compared with the ground or a ship

is a physical mark showing that position on objects rather than the measured height
waterline
vswater line
  • Specialized
8 4.1

The level where the water meets a ship's side, often shown by a painted line

is a general mark applied to many objects rather than to ships alone
watermark
vswater line
2 4.9

A mark on a wall showing the highest water level after a flood

is any mark showing water reach on objects, not only highest flood marks
strandline
vswater line
  • Specialized
9.6

A raised line on the shore that shows how far the water reached in the past

is a mark showing where water reached on objects now, not a former shore line

How High

watermark
2 4.9
water line
7 3.0

Surface Forms

water line singular
water lines plural

Morphology

water + line

The meaning 'a line showing the level reached by water' is directly and compositionally derived from 'water' + 'line' — a line that refers to water level. This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern of indicating a line related to the first noun, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Water line comes from a simple image: on ships or walls a clear line left by water shows how high the water reached. So, water line now means 'a line showing the level reached by water', and people use it to check if a boat is too full or a wall was flooded.