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line of duty
later disqualified. | If the ball goes over the line, it's out of play. | a white line in the middle of the road | a line judge in tennis b) a border or edge: the line between North and South Korea | (fig.) There's a very fine (dividing) line between genius and madness. → see also MASON-DIXON LINE, PLIMSOLL LINE 3 [S(off)] a direction of movement: He's had so much to drink that he could hardly walk in a straight line. | a ball's line of flight 4 [C] a row: A line of coats hung on the wall. 5 a) [C,U] a number of people side by side or one behind the other: The recruits were standing in line to be examined. | Children, get into (a) line/form a line. | If we don't get in line now we'll never get a seat. → compare QUEUE¹ b) [C] a set of people following one another in time, especially a family: He comes from a long line of actors. | a line of kings 6 [C] also lines pl. —a railway track: Passengers are not allowed to cross the lines. | the main line from London to Leeds 7 [C] a row of words a) on a printed page: There are 12 words to a line. (=on each line) b) in a poem: Each line has five beats. 8 [C] a long thin mark in the skin; WRINKLE: The old man's face is covered with lines. 9 [C] an OUTLINE: the sleek elegant lines of a racing yacht 10 [C;U] (a piece of) string or cord: clothes drying on the washing line | a fishing line | 50 metres of line 11 [C] a telephone wire or connection: The lines went down in the storm. | Hold the line please (=do not put your telephone down) —I'm trying to connect you. | I'm afraid this is rather a bad line—could you speak a bit more clearly? | I'm sorry, sir, the line is busy/engaged —would you like to call back later? → see also HOT LINE, PARTY LINE 12 [S] infml a short letter: Drop me a line (=write me a letter) when you know your exam results. 13 [C] (usually in comb.) (a company that provides) a system for travelling by or moving goods by road, railway, sea, or air; a TRANSPORT system or company: an airline | a shipping line 14 [C often pl.] a course or method of action: This failed to persuade her, so we tried a new line of argument. | The police are following various lines of inquiry. | You haven't got the right answer, but you're on the right lines. (=following the right method, and likely to succeed) | What line shall we take at the meeting? | The judges have been urged to take a tough line with violent criminals. → see also HARD LINE 15 a) [C] (especially in politics) an officially stated set of ideas, methods etc: to follow the party line b) [U] (in certain phrases) the state of being in agreement with this: This pay settlement will bring us into line with the government's guidelines. | The party leadership managed to keep the members in line/to prevent them from stepping out of line. | They disagreed at first but in the end they fell into line. 16 [C] infml an area of interest, activity, or work: Her line is insurance. | That's not really in my line of business. | Fishing isn't really my line. 17 [C] a type of goods: This dress is one of our latest lines. | a new line in shoes | (fig.) She does/has a good line in funny stories. 18 [C] infml a way of talking that seems to be intended to deceive or persuade: Don't give me that line about not having any money! 19 [the] tech the EQUATOR: crossing the line 20 [C] a row of military defences, especially that nearest the enemy: He was parachuted behind enemy lines. | the Maginot line | (fig.) the body's first line of defence against disease → see also FRONT LINE 21 [the] a) (in the British army) the regular foot soldiers of the army: a line regiment b) (in the US army) all the regular fighting forces 22 [C] also line of battle /.../ —the arrangement of soldiers, ships etc side by side: (old-fash) a ship of the line (=a large warship) 23 [S(on)] infml a piece of useful information: Can you give me a line on the new head of department? I can't seem to get a line on her. 24 all along the line in every part and/or from the beginning: He's been opposing me all along the line. 25 down the line infml, especially AmE completely or fully, e.g. in support or encouragement: I'll support her down the line on that issue. 26 Hard lines! BrE infml (an expression of sympathy) What bad luck you had! 27 in line for about to or likely to get: in line for the job/for promotion 28 in line with straight or level compared with: The wheel at the back isn't in line with the one at the front. | (fig.) That isn't in line with my ideas at all. 29 on the line at serious risk; in danger: Work hard; your job is on the line. (=you may lose it) | to put one's reputation on the line 30 (reach) the end of the line (to reach) the last stages, especially the point of failure → see also LINES, BOTTOM LINE, STORY LINE, draw the line at (DRAW¹), lay something on the line (LAY²), OFFLINE, ONLINE, read between the lines (READ¹)
line² v [T] 1 to draw lines on: lined paper 2 to mark with lines or WRINKLES: Signs of worry lined his face. 3 to form rows along: The crowds lined the streets. | tree-lined avenues
line up phr v 1 [i;T(= line sbdy/sthg. ↔ up)] to (cause to) form into a row, side by side or one behind the other: He lined up behind the others to wait his turn. | Line up the glasses and I'll fill them. | Everybody line up, facing the front. 2 [T(for) (line sbdy./sthg. ↔ up)] to arrange for (an event) to take place or (a person) to take part in an event: We've lined up a great race to celebrate the centenary, with some of the best runners in the world taking part. | We've lined up Pavarotti for the main role in the opera. | [+obj+to-v] We've lined him up to sing the main role. → also LINEUP
line³ v [T(with) often pass.] 1 to cover the inside of (something) with material: I lined the box with paper before I put the clothes in. | a coat lined with silk | Are these curtains lined? → see also LINING 2 to be an inner covering for: the soft slippery substance that lines the stomach 3 line one's pocket(s)/purse to make money for oneself in a way that is disapproved of
lin-e-age¹ /'lɪni-ɪdʒ/ n [C;U] fml the way in which members of a family are descended from other members: a family of ancient/royal lineage
line-age² /'laɪnɪdʒ/ n [U] the number of lines in something written or printed
lin-e-al /'lɪniəl/ adj fml in a set of people following each other directly in time, especially from parent to child —ly adv
lin-e-ar /'lɪniər/ adj 1 of or in lines: a linear diagram 2 [A] of length: linear measurements
,linear ac'celerator n a piece of equipment used by scientists to find out about the nature of matter; it makes small pieces of atoms called PARTICLES travel in a straight line at increasingly high speed → compare CYCLOTRON
,linear per'spective n [U] a way of drawing and painting in which lines which are really PARALLEL meet. It is used to give the idea of depth and distance.
line-back-er /laɪn,bækər/ n a player in American football who tries to spoil attacking plays by tackling (TACKLE) members of the other team
'line, dancing n [U] a type of US dance done to COUNTRY AND WESTERN music. People dance while standing in lines facing the same direction, and wear American style clothes such as STETSONS and COWBOY BOOTS. In the late 1990s line dancing became very popular in the UK.
'line, drawing n a drawing done with a pen or pencil and made up only of lines
'line drive n a BASEBALL hit with great force in a straight line, that moves along or near to the ground
Lin-e-ker, Gary /'lɪŋkər, 'gæri/ (1960-) a British football player who played for the English national team from 1984 until 1992, and was CAPTAIN from 1990 to 1992. He is known for being a nice polite person who always obeyed the rules of football when he was a player. After he stopped playing football he became a television presenter, and also appeared in humorous advertisements.
line-man /laɪnmən/ also linesman n pl. -men /mæn/ a man whose job is to take care of railway lines or telephone wires
'line, management n [U] the method of passing information and instructions along lines of people up and down an organization, each person telling the one immediately above or below them —line manager n
lin-en /'lɪnən/ n [U] 1 cloth made from the plant FLAX and used to make good-quality tablecloths, furnishing cloth, and clothes; it wears well but is very expensive; before the introduction of cotton, it was used for sheets 2 sheets, tablecloths etc: to buy bed linen | a linen cupboard 3 old use underclothes, especially white: to change one's linen → see also wash one's dirty linen (WASH¹)
'linen, basket n a LAUNDRY BASKET
'linen, cupboard n a special cupboard where sheets, tablecloths, TOWELS etc are kept. In Britain, if this cupboard is heated, it can be called an AIRING CUPBOARD.
,line of 'country n [S] BrE infml kind of job: What line of country are you in?
,line of 'duty n it's all in the line of duty it's part of the responsibility that goes with the position that someone