ligne

[ leen; French leen-yuh ]

noun

, plural lignes [leenz, leen, -y, uh].

1. (in Swiss watchmaking) a unit equal to 0.0888 inch or 2.2558 millimeters, divided into 12 douziemes: used mainly to gauge the thickness of a movement.
2. line ¹( def 44 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of ligne¹

< French: line ¹

Example Sentences

So the sacrifices, for a long time past, have been, as usual, my correspondence, and as the most tender morsels for the Moloch you and William naturally en premi�re ligne.

From Project Gutenberg

Hergé drew his panels in an elegant, instantly recognizable style that has been so influential, it has acquired a name: ligne claire, or clear line.

From Time

She put out her hands to Frau Br�hl and said: 'There is victory sur tout la ligne!

From Project Gutenberg

If many, or nearly all, have an inerect carriage, wholly lacking la ligne of Dumas, then daily insist on such exercises for them as shall straighten them up and keep them up.

From Project Gutenberg

That of itself told its own story of how completely we were outside the last chance of Belgian protection.—outside la derni�re ligne.

From Project Gutenberg