line

line
\ \ [OE] The closest modern English line comes to its ancestor is probably in the fisherman’s ‘rod and line’ – a ‘string’ or ‘chord’. For it goes back to Latin līneastring’. This was a derivative of līnumflax’ (source of English linen), and hence meant etymologically ‘flaxen thread’. English acquired it in two separate phases. First of all it was borrowed directly from Latin in the Old English period, and then it made a return appearance via Old French ligne in the 14th century; the two have coalesced to form modern English line. Derived forms include lineage [14], lineal [15], lineament [15], and liner [19]. The last is based on the sense ‘shipping line’, which goes back to the notion of a ‘line’ or succession of ships plying between ports.
\ \ Cf.ALIGN, LINEAL, LINEN, LINER

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Line — Line, n. [OE. line, AS. l[=i]ne cable, hawser, prob. from L. linea a linen thread, string, line, fr. linum flax, thread, linen, cable; but the English word was influenced by F. ligne line, from the same L. word linea. See {Linen}.] 1. A linen… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • line — [laɪn] noun [countable] 1. also product line MARKETING a type of product that a company makes or sells, often with several different sizes, models etc; = RANGE: • It continues to get about two thirds of it …   Financial and business terms

  • line — line1 [līn] n. [ME merging OE, a cord, with OFr ligne (both < L linea, lit., linen thread, n. use of fem. of lineus, of flax < linum, flax)] 1. a) a cord, rope, wire, string, or the like b) a long, fine, strong cord with a hook, sinker,… …   English World dictionary

  • Line — or lines may refer to: * Line (geometry), an infinitely extending one dimensional figure that has no curvature * a length of rope, cable or chain when put to use (such as a clothesline, anchor line) * a line or queue of people waiting in a queue… …   Wikipedia

  • Line 1 — or 1 line may refer to: Public transport Asia China Line 1, Beijing Subway, subway line in Beijing Line 1, Guangzhou Metro, metro line in Guangzhou, Guangdong Line 1 (Shanghai), a metro line of Shanghai Metro, Shanghai, China Japan Kūkō Line… …   Wikipedia

  • Line 4 — or 4 Line may refer to: Public transport 4 (New York City Subway service) Barcelona Metro line 4, line in the Barcelona Metro network operated by TMB Line 4, Beijing Subway, in Beijing, China Line 4 (Budapest Metro), fourth line of Budapest Metro …   Wikipedia

  • line — Ⅰ. line [1] ► NOUN 1) a long, narrow mark or band. 2) a length of cord, wire, etc. serving a purpose. 3) a row or connected series of people or things. 4) a row of written or printed words. 5) a direction, course, or channel. 6) …   English terms dictionary

  • line# — line n Line, row, rank, file, echelon, tier are comparable when meaning a series of things arranged in continuous or uniform order. Line means little more than this, except when it is attached to a specific application that increases its… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Line 2 — or 2 Line can refer to: Contents 1 Public transport 1.1 Asia 1.2 Europe 1.3 Americas 2 Politic …   Wikipedia

  • Line 6 — es un fabricante de modeladores digitales para guitarras eléctricas, guitarras acústicas, amplificadores y procesadores de efectos. Line 6 fue fundada a mediados de la década de 1990 y tiene su sede en Calabasas, California. Después de años de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Line 7 — or 7 Line may refer to: 7 (New York City Subway service) Barcelona Metro line 7, metro like commuter train line in the Barcelona Metro Mexico City Metro Line 7, a rapid transit line in Mexico City Line 7, Beijing Subway, a rapid transit rail line …   Wikipedia

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