ENGLISH
REFERENCE

line

n. countable
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈɫaɪn// UK //lˈaɪn// line Archaic General-service Informal Slang

n. a long, thin mark on a surface, like one you draw with a pen. It can also mean a row of people waiting for something, like at a store or a bus stop.

n. a long, narrow mark or band on a surface. It also refers to a series of people or things arranged in a particular order, especially one behind another.


SIMPLE

There is a long line for the bus.

CONTEXTUAL

The teacher asked the students to form a single line before going outside for recess.

COMPLEX

The novel's narrative follows the intersecting lines of three families whose fates are woven together by a single, tragic event.

Synonyms
Origin

From the Middle English surname, derived from the Anglo-Norman suffix -line found in names such as Adeline and Madeline.

Usage

In American English, people 'wait in line' for something. In British English, it is more common to 'queue' or 'wait in a queue'.

Pitfall

sit in the first line of the cinemasit in the first row of the cinemaFor seats in a theater or classroom, use 'row'. 'Line' is typically used for people standing one behind another in a queue.

Idioms31 entries

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