DCHP-1 Online

lines

• 1 n. pl. Obs. the outer limit of a town; the open area at the edge of a town.

  • 1972  (1911)  After church we repaired to the lines with Mr. Talbot. . . .

• 2 n. pl. Obs. the strips of settlement in the back country.

  See also: back country  back settlement  line ((n.)) (def. 3b)  

  • 1811  A grant was made by the Provincial Parliament, three or four years ago, to enable a number of persons to open a Turnpike Road from St. John to Pike River and through St. Armand to the Lines.
  • 1816  [There was not] another Methodist preacher in the whole province, save good old Mr. M'Coll, who, living upon the lines, seldom or never quitted his mission. . . .
  • 1822  (1960)  . . . he had excellent plaster upon his lot, [so] it would be easy for him, when he had nothing else to do, to build a vessel which would carry it to the Lines.

• 3 n. pl. Hist. the border between Canada and the United States.

  See also: line ((n.)) (def. 2)  

  • 1870  On the 25th of May the Fenians . . . crossed the lines . . . and attempted to effect a lodgement near Pigeon Hill. . . .
  • 1922  . . . Prevost states . . . it being near the lines, they could defend the frontier in case of future attack.