line¹ ◙ noun 1. a long, narrow mark or band • 线 »a row of closely spaced dots will look like a continuous line. 一连串间隔很小的点看起来像一条线。 »I can't draw a straight line. 我画线画不直。 [Mathematics] a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth • [数] 直线；曲线 a positioning or movement of a thing or things that creates or appears to follow such a line • 线条 »her mouth set in an angry line. 她的嘴呈现出生气的线条。 »the ball rose in a straight line. 球直线上升。 a furrow or wrinkle in the skin of the face or hands • （手，脸部皮肤上的）纹路，皱纹 a contour or outline considered as a feature of design or composition • 轮廓，轮廓线 »crisp architectural lines. 明快的建筑轮廓。 »[mass noun] the artist's use of clean line and colour. 艺术家对流畅线条和色彩的使用。 (on a map or graph) a curve connecting all points having a specified common property • （地图或图表上相同事物间的）连线 a line marking the starting or finishing point in a race • （赛跑）起跑线；终点线 a line painted on to a field or court that relates in various ways to the rules of a game or sport • （运动或比赛场地上根据规则划定的）线 (the Line)the equator • 赤道 a notional limit or boundary • （观念上的）界限 »the issue of peace cut across class lines. 和平问题超越了阶级的界限。 »television blurs the line between news and entertainment. 电视使新闻和娱乐之间的界线变得模糊。 each of the very narrow horizontal sections forming a television picture • 行（形成电视图像的横向细狭区） [Physics] a narrow range of the spectrum that is noticeably brighter or darker than the adjacent parts • [物理] （光谱上明显比相邻部分亮或暗的）细行 (the line)the level of the base of most letters, such as h and x, in printing and writing • 字母底部水平线（印刷和书写中大部分字母底部所在的水平位置，如在h和x中） [as modifier] [Printing & Computing] denoting an illustration or graphic consisting of lines and solid areas, with no gradation of tone • [印刷，计算机] 线条的（由线条和实心部分构成插图或图形，且无色彩的深浅变化） »a line block. 线条块。 »line art. 线条艺术。 each of (usually five) horizontal lines forming a stave in musical notation • （五线谱中的）谱线 a sequence of notes or tones forming an instrumental or vocal melody • 曲调 »a powerful melodic line. 有力而悠扬的曲调。 [informal] a dose of a powdered narcotic drug, especially cocaine, laid out in a line ready to be taken • [非正式] 长条（卷成长条的粉末状毒品，尤指可卡因，可随时吸食） 2. a length of cord, rope, wire, or other material serving a particular purpose • 绳，线 »wring the clothes and hang them on the line. 拧干衣服挂在绳子上。 »a telephone line. 电话线。 a telephone connection • 电话通话 »she had a crank on the line. 她在电话里突发奇想。 a railway track • 铁路线 a branch or route of a railway system • 铁路网的一支（或一段） »the Glasgow to London line. 格拉斯哥至伦敦铁路段。 a company that provides ships, aircraft, or buses on particular routes on a regular basis • （航运、航空、汽车客运）公司 »a major shipping line. 一家大规模航运公司。 3. a horizontal row of written or printed words • （书写或印刷的）行 a part of a poem forming one such row • 诗行 »each stanza has eight lines. 每一诗节有八行。 (lines)the words of an actor's part in a play or film • （话剧或影片的）台词 a particularly noteworthy written or spoken sentence • 妙语 »his speech ended with a line about the failure of justice. 他以一句有关不公正的妙语结束了自己的演讲。 (lines)an amount of text or number of repetitions of a sentence written out as a school punishment • （学校惩罚学生）抄写课文（或句子）的量 4. a row of people or things • 一排人（或物） »a line of altar boys proceeded down the aisle. 一排祭台助手通过走廊。 [N. Amer.] a queue • [北美] 一排，一行 a connected series of people following one another in time (used especially of several generations of a family) • 家族，家系 »we follow the history of a family through the male line. 我们通过男性家系追溯家族的历史。 a series of related things • 一系列有关的事物 »the bill is the latest in a long line of measures to protect society from criminals. 该法案是一长串保障社会安全防止犯罪措施中的最新举措。 a range of commercial goods • （商品的）类，品种 »the company intends to hire more people and expand its product line. 该公司打算雇佣更多的员工并增加产品品种。 5. an area or branch of activity • 行业，行当 »the stresses unique to their line of work. 他们这一行业所特有的压力。 a direction, course, or channel • 方向；路线；渠道 »lines of communication. 联系渠道。 »he opened another line of attack. 他开辟了另一条进攻路线。 (lines)a manner of doing or thinking about something • （思考、处事）方式 »you can't run a business on these lines. 你不能用这种方式经营企业。 »the superintendent was thinking along the same lines. 主管人也以同样的方式思考问题。 an agreed approach; a policy • 策略；政策，路线；看法 »the official line is that there were no chemical attacks on allied troops. 官方的看法是盟军部队未受到任何化学武器的攻击。 [informal] a false or exaggerated account or story • [非正式] 骗人的话，不实之词 »he feeds me a line about this operation. 关于这次手术，他对我讲了些骗人的鬼话。 6. a connected series of military fieldworks or defences facing an enemy force • 防线，战线 »raids behind enemy lines. 敌后袭击。 an arrangement of soldiers or ships in a column or line formation; a line of battle • 战斗编队；阵线 (the line)regular army regiments (as opposed to auxiliary forces or household troops) • （正规）战斗部队 ◙ verb, [with obj.] 1. stand or be positioned at intervals along • 列队，使…列队 »a processional route lined by people waving flags. 挥舞旗帜的人们在两旁列队的游行队伍路线。 2. [usu. as adj. lined] mark or cover with lines • 用线条标出，布满线条 »a thin woman with a lined face. 一个满脸皱纹的瘦削女人。 »lined paper. 划线纸。
【IDIOMS】
◘ above the line 1. [Finance] denoting or relating to money spent on items of current expenditure • [财政] 日常支出的 2. [Bridge] denoting bonus points and penalty points, which do not count towards the game • [桥牌] 在横线上方的（指奖分和罚分不计算在内的） ◘ all (the way) down (或 along) the line 1. at every point or stage • 在每一阶段，全线，全部 »the mistakes were due to lack of care all down the line. 错误是因在每一环节上都不够谨慎而造成的。 ◘ along (或 down) the line 1. at a further, later, or unspecified point • 在某一时刻，在某一阶段，稍后 »I knew that somewhere down the line there would be an inquest. 我知道在某一阶段陪审团会进行讯问。 ◘ below the line 1. [Finance] denoting or relating to money spent on items of capital expenditure • [财政] 资本支出的 2. [Bridge] denoting points for tricks bid and won, which count towards the game • [桥牌] 可以要虚牌的点数 ◘ bring someone/thing into line 1. cause someone or something to conform • 使符合，使一致 »the change in the law will bring Britain into line with Europe. 法律的修改将让英国和欧洲一致起来。 ◘ come down to the line 1. (of a race) be closely fought right until the end • （比赛）比分紧咬，相持不下 ◘ come into line 1. conform • 一致 »Britain has come into line with other Western democracies in giving the vote to its citizens living abroad. 英国已经和其他西方民主国家一样，让海外公民拥有选举权了。 ◘ the end of the line 1. the point at which further effort is unproductive or one can go no further • 尽头，极限（指再作努力已无用的时刻或阶段） ◘ get a line on 1. [informal] learn something about • [非正式] 了解（某事） ◘ in line 1. under control • 控制住，在控制下 »that threat kept a lot of people in line. 那威胁吓住了很多人。 2. (chiefly N. Amer.)in a queue • [主北美] 站成一排 »I always peer at other people's baskets as we stand in line. 我们排队时，我总是瞟一瞟别人的篮子。 ◘ in line for 1. likely to receive • 可能收到 »the club are in line for a windfall of three hundred thousand pounds. 俱乐部可能会得到一笔意想不到的30万英镑巨款。 ◘ in the line of duty 1. while one is working (used mainly of police officers or soldiers) • （主要指警官、士兵）值班，在岗 ◘ in (或 out of) line with 1. in (or not in) alignment or accordance with • 与…符号，与…一致，与…不符合，与…不一致 »remuneration is in line with comparable international organizations. 报酬与同等国际机构一致。 ◘ lay (或 put) it on the line 1. speak frankly • 直说 ◘ (draw) a line in the sand 1. (state that one has reached) a point beyond which one will not go • （指明）达到极限，到此为止 ◘ line abreast 1. [Nautical] a formation in which a number of ships travel side by side • [航海] （船队航行时的）横队队形，并列队形 ◘ line ahead 1. [Nautical] a formation in which a number of ships follow one another in a line • [航海] （船队航行时的）纵队队形，直线队形 ◘ line astern 1. a formation in which a number of aircraft or ships follow one another in a line • 飞机编队飞行中的（或船队航行时的）纵队队形 ◘ line of communications --› seecommunication ◘ line of credit 1. an amount of credit extended to a borrower • 信用贷款额度 ◘ line of fire 1. the expected path of gunfire or a missile • 火力线，导弹航线 »residents within line of fire were evacuated from their homes. 火力线上的住户都撤离了家园。 ◘ line of flight 1. the route taken through the air • 航线 ◘ line of force 1. an imaginary line which represents the strength and direction of a magnetic, gravitational, or electric field at any point • 力线（假想出来代表磁力、重力或电磁场大小和方向的线） ◘ the line of least resistance --› seeresistance ◘ line of march 1. the route taken in marching • 行军路线 ◘ line of scrimmage 1. [American Football] the imaginary line separating the teams at the beginning of a play • [美橄] 争球线 ◘ line of sight 1. a straight line along which an observer has unobstructed vision • （无遮挡的）视线（指从眼睛到所见物之间的直线） »a building which obstructs our line of sight. 一幢挡住了我们视线的大楼。 ◘ line of vision 1. the straight line along which an observer looks • 视线（指观察者视物的直线） »Jimmy moved forward into Len's line of vision. 吉米走向前进入了列恩的视线。 ◘ on the line 1. at serious risk • 处于严重危险中 »their careers were on the line. 他们的职业生涯岌岌可危。 2. (of a picture in an exhibition) hung with its centre about level with the spectator's eye • （展览中的画作）挂得与视平线相齐 ◘ out of line 1. [informal] behaving in a way that breaks the rules or is considered disreputable or inappropriate • [非正式] （行为）越轨的，不当的 »he had never stepped out of line with her before. 他以前从来没对她有任何越轨的行为。
【语源】
1. Old English līne 'rope, series', probably of Germanic origin, from Latin linea (fibra) 'flax (fibre'), from Latin linum 'flax', reinforced in Middle English by Old French ligne, based on Latin linea
【PHR V】
◘ line out 1. [Baseball] be caught out after hitting a line drive • [棒球] 击球手因击出的平直球被接住而出局 ◘ line something out 1. transplant seedlings from beds into nursery lines, where they are grown before being moved to their permanent position • 移栽（永久性栽种之前将幼苗从苗床移至苗圃） ◘ line someone/thing up 1. arrange a number of people or things in a straight row • 将…排成一行 ◘ line up (of a number of people or things) be arranged in this way • （人，物）排成排 »we would line up across the parade ground, shoulder to shoulder. 我们在阅兵场上肩并肩地列队。 1. have someone or something ready or prepared • 准备好，让…准备就绪 »have you got any work lined up? 你们准备好工作了吗？line² ◙ verb 1. [with obj.] cover the inside surface of (a container or garment) with a layer of different material • 在（容器或服装）内铺衬垫（或里子） »a basket lined with polythene. 有聚乙烯内衬的篮子。 form a layer on the inside surface of (an area); cover as if with a lining • 给…铺内衬 »hundreds of telegrams lined the walls. 几百份电报像铺衬里似的贴在墙上。 [informal] fill (something, especially one's stomach) • [非正式] 填充，填肚子 »Yorkshire pudding to line your stomach. 填饱你肚子的约克郡布丁。
【IDIOMS】
◘ line one's pocket 1. make money, especially by dishonest means • （尤指用欺骗手段）赚钱
【语源】
1. late Middle English: from obsolete line 'flax', with reference to the common use of linen for linings