Meaning & use
line
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Meanings
nouncountable
A long, narrow mark made on a surface, or a thin edge between two areas.
Grammar: Usually countable; plural lines is common.
Patterns
- draw a line
- cross the line
- wait behind the line
She drew a straight line across the page.
The children stood behind the yellow line.
A thin line divided the two fields.
nouncountable
A row or sequence of people, words, numbers, or things placed one after another.
Grammar: Countable; often followed by of for the items in the sequence.
Patterns
- a line of people
- form a line
- in alphabetical line
A line of customers waited outside the bakery.
The names were printed in one long line.
Please form a line at the door.
nouncountable
One row of words in a poem, song, play, or written text.
Grammar: Countable; each separate row is a line.
Patterns
- memorize a line
- opening line
- forget your lines
She forgot her first line in the school play.
The opening line of the poem is simple.
Every line of the song repeats twice.
nouncountablebusiness
A type of product that a company makes or sells.
Grammar: Often singular with a new or full; usually followed by of.
Patterns
- a line of products
- launch a line
- clothing line
The store introduced a new line of winter boots.
Their budget line sells quickly.
She designs a small line of handmade bags.
nouncountabletechnical
A wire, cable, pipe, or similar connection for electricity, water, telephone service, or transport.
Grammar: Countable; line can mean the channel or route itself.
Patterns
- telephone line
- power line
- railway line
A fallen power line blocked the road.
I could not answer because the line was busy.
The new railway line shortened the trip.
nouncountable
A limit, rule, or area of activity that should not be passed or that defines what someone does.
Grammar: Often singular in fixed phrases such as draw the line.
Patterns
- draw the line
- cross the line
- line of work
I enjoy jokes, but I draw the line at cruelty.
His comment crossed the line.
She works in a completely different line of work.
Word forms
| plural | lines |
|---|
Common combinations
- wait in line
- We waited in line for forty minutes.
- bottom line
- The bottom line is that we cannot afford the delay.
- line of work
- Accidents happen in every line of work.
- draw a line
- Parents must draw a line between guidance and control.
- product line
- The product line includes shoes, bags, and hats.
Synonyms and how they differ
- queue
- British for people waiting in order; line is standard in American English and broader.
- row
- A straight arrangement; line can also be a mark, boundary, or phone connection.
- cord
- A thick string; line often means wire, rope, or fishing thread in context.
- boundary
- Close for limits, but line can be physical marks and many non-boundary senses.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: line or queue? line or lane?
line vs queue
Queue is the usual British word for people waiting; line is the usual American word and has many more meanings.
line vs lane
A lane is a narrow road or marked path for vehicles or runners; line is a mark, row, or connection.
Practice
Choose the best word: The storm knocked down a power ___, so the neighborhood lost electricity.
Choose one answer.
Power line is the fixed phrase for an electricity cable. Row, poem, and queue do not naturally pair with power.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.