Line

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The word line derives from the Latin lingui, meaning flax plant from which linen is produced; at one time, a stretched linen thread was the most reliable way to determine a straight line.

The word line can refer to:

• A "straight line", in the geometric sense; see line (mathematics).
• A length of rope when put to use (clothesline, anchor line)
• A queue area.
• A line of written, printed, or spoken text.
  • "Lines" A form of punishment, at an establishment such as a public school: see school lines.
  • In the same vein, to drop a line refers to leaving a message.
• Science and technology:
  • An obsolete unit of measurement, equal to one-twelfth or later one-tenth of an (Imperial) inch.
  • A circuit (or loop) in electrical engineering.
  • A power line for electric power transmission.
  • A telephone line.
  • A measure of video display resolution or image resolution; see line (video).
  • A program to emulate Linux on Microsoft Windows in the manner of WINE
  • An archaic name of the unit for magnetic flux, now named the maxwell.
  • Lines (video game).
  • "LINE-1" stands for "long interspersed nucleotide element-1", an abundant retrotransposon of the human genome.
• Corporate:
  • A product line, in marketing.
  • A shipping line is a company engaged in sea transport, (from which comes the term Ocean liner).
  • Line is a newschool ski company based in Burlington, Vermont
• Military:
  • non specialist infantry or cavalry regiments comprising the regular line of battle of an army.
  • The line of battle in naval warfare, hence "ship of the line".
  • The Marine Corps LINE combat system, a system of military combatives.
• Sport:
  • In Sports betting, the line is another term for the point spread.
  • In cricket, the direction of a delivery; see line and length.
  • In American football, the offensive line (O-Line) or defensive line (D-Line)
  • In ice hockey, the three forwards; a team's forwards are divided into lines (almost always grouped by ability) which change all at once ("line change") in lieu of individual substitutions. The "first line" starts the game and consists of the team's elite forwards. There is also a list of famous "line"-mates.
• A line may refer to lineage in genealogy or evolution.
• In sewing and tailoring, a line or ligne is the unit of measure for sizing buttons, with 40 lines to the inch.
• A line may also be a dose of cocaine or amphetamine arranged in a line ready to be snorted.
  • Doing a line may refer to snorting the drug.
• Music:
  • A part, such as a bassline
• Theater
  • Line, a long-running play written by Israel Horovitz

Line or Lina is a female name in Scandinavia. It is possibly a short version of "Caroline" or "Helena".