DCHP-1 Online

line ((n.))

• 1a n. a strong line or rope used in tracking (def. 1).

  See also: tracking (def. 1)  tracking line  

• 1b n. Local See quote.

  See also: head of the line  

• 2 n. the border between Canada and the United States.

  See also: border  lines (def. 3)  

• 3a n. Obs. the strips of settlement in the back country.

  See also: lines (def. 2)  

• 3b n. a settlement road in Upper Canada, especially one identified with settlers of a certain origin. See 1896 quote.

• 3c n. a road, especially one built through the bush.

  • Probably a reduction of line of road, as in:

• 3c n.

  • This usage seems commonest in areas of Irish and Scots settlement and may derive from older dialectal usage in the British Isles. See W. Kirwin, "Lines . . . in Newfoundland Names," America Speech (Oct., 1965), 163-5.

• 4a † n. Hist. a line of blazed trees, stakes or cairns marking the boundary of a concession, lot, or other surveyed piece of land.

  See also: concession line (def. 1)  

• 4b n. Ont. a road built on the road allowance between concessions, following the concession line and connected to other concession roads by side roads, the distance separating each being, as a rule, 1¼ miles.

  See also: concession road  

• 5 n. a series of traps set and maintained by a trapper who periodically runs the line, removing the trapped animals and resetting the traps.

  See also: trapline (def. 1)  

• 6a † n. Football the seven players ranged along the line of scrimmage at the beginning of each down.

• 6b n. in hockey and lacrosse, the line of three forwards.

• 7 n. See 1953 quote.

  See also: main line (def. 2)  

• 8 n. the rope by which sled-dogs are hitched to a sled, often made of rawhide.