I.a linen thread, a string, line.
I. Lit.: “nectere lineas, restes, funes,” Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 6: “linia longinqua per os religata,” Plin. 9, 17, 26, § 59: “ligato pede longā lineā gallina custoditur,” Col. 8, 11, 15: “linea margaritarum triginta quinque,” Dig. 35, 2, 26; cf.: “lineae duae ex margaritis,” ib. 34, 2, 40; and ib. 9, 2, 27 fin.: “linea dives (of the strings of pearls which were thrown among the people at the public games),” Mart. 8, 78, 7 (cf. Suet. Ner. 11).—
B. In partic.
1. In a net, the threads which form the meshes: “licia difficile cernuntur: atque ut in plagis lineae offensae, praecipitant in sinum (of spiders' webs),” Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 82.—
b. Transf., a net, Plin. 9, 43, 67, § 145: “si feras lineis et pinna clusas contineas,” Sen. Clem. 1, 12, 5.—
2. A fishing-line: “tremulāve captum lineā trahit piscem,” Mart. 3, 58, 27; 10, 30, 18.—Hence, prov.: mittere lineam, to cast a line, to fish for, try to catch a person, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 22.—
3. A plumbline of masons and carpenters: “perpendiculo et lineā uti,” Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1; cf.: “ad regulam et lineam,” Vitr. 7, 3; 5, 3; Pall. 3, 9.—Hence,
b. Ad lineam and rectā lineā, in a straight line, vertically, perpendicularly: “solida corpora ferri suo deorsum pondere ad lineam,” Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 18; Plin. 19, 8, 42, § 147; “of the layers of stone in a wall: saxa, quae rectis lineis suos ordines servant,” Caes. B. G. 7, 23: “(ignis) rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolat,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40.—
4. A region, tract: “linea tam rectum mundi ferit illa Leonem,” that region lies directly under the lion, Luc. 10, 306.—
5. A bowstring, Ter. Maur. praef. v. 19.—
II. Transf., a thread-like stroke or mark made with a pen, pencil, etc., a line: “Apelli fuit perpetua consuetudo, numquam tam occupatam diem agendi, ut non, lineam ducendo, exerceret artem, quod ab eo in proverbium venit (namely, the proverb: nulla dies sine linea),” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 84: “lineam cinere ducere,” id. 18, 33, 76, § 327: “candida per medium folium transcurrens,” id. 27, 11, 77, § 102: “serra in praetenui linea premente harenas (of sawing marble),” id. 36, 6, 9, § 51: “nec congruebant ad horas ejus lineae (of the sundial),” id. 7, 60, 60, § 214; Pers. 3, 4.—In geometry, a line: linea a nostris dicitur, quam γραμμὴν Graeci nominant. Eam M. Varro ita definit: “Linea est, inquit, longitudo quaedam sine latitudine et altitudine,” Gell. 1, 20, 7: “locorum extremae lineae,” Quint. 1, 10, 39: “lineae, quae emittuntur ex centro,” Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 165; 2, 16, 13, § 64: “linea circumcurrens,” a circular line, circle, Quint. 1, 10, 41.—
2. In partic.
(α).
A boundary-line which consisted of a narrow path between fields, Hyg. de Limit. p. 151; 152 Goes. —
b. A barrier or line in the theatre, by which the seats were separated from each other: “quid frustra refugis? cogit nos linea jungi,” Ov. Am. 3, 2, 19; id. A. A. 1, 139: “lineas poscere,” Quint. 11, 3, 133.—
c. A feature, lineament: “adulti venustissimis lineis,” Arn. 5, 179 al.—
B. Trop.
1. A line of descent or kindred, lineage (post-class.): στέμματα cognationum directo limite in duas lineas separantur, quarum altera est superior, altera inferior, Dig. 38, 10, 9: “clara gentis Linea,” Stat. S. 3, 3, 43: “primo gradu superioris linea continentur pater, mater,” Paul. Sent. 4, 11, 1.—
2. An outline, sketch, design (a fig. borrowed from painting): “quidam materias latius dicendo prosequebantur ... alii, cum primas modo lineas duxissent,” Quint. 2, 6, 2; cf. id. 4, 2, 120: ea quae in Platonis oratione demiramur, non aemulari quidem, sed lineas umbrasque facere ausi sumus, Gell. 17, 20, 8.—
3. A boundary-line, bound, limit, end, goal: “cum poëtae transilire lineas impune possint,” Varr. L. L. 9, § 5 Müll.; Cassiod. Var. 3, 50: “si quidem est peccare tamquam transire lineas,” to go beyond the mark, pass the prescribed limits, Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20: “mors ultima linea rerum est,” Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 79: “admoveri lineas sentio,” Sen. Ep. 49.—Hence, prov.: amare extremā lineā, to love at a distance, i. e. to see the beloved object only at a distance, not be able to speak to her, Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 12.
