Dic: line (as an attitude, a way of thinking or happening)

17 [N-COUNT] usu sing, with supp △The particular line that a person has towards a problem is the attitude that they have towards it. For example, if someone takes a hard line on something, they have a firm strict policy which they refuse to change.

• Forty members of the governing Conservative party rebelled, voting against the government line...

18 [N-COUNT] usu N of n/-ing △You can use line to refer to the way in which someone's thoughts or activities develop, particularly if it is logical.

• What are some of the practical benefits likely to be of this line of research?

19 [N-PLURAL] usu along/on N with supp △If you say that something happens along particular lines, or on particular lines, you are giving a general summary or approximate account of what happens, which may not be correct in every detail.

• He'd said something along those lines already...
• Our forecast for 1990 was on the right lines...

20 [N-PLURAL] on/along N with supp △If something is organized on particular lines, or along particular lines, it is organized according to that method or principle.

• ...so-called autonomous republics based on ethnic lines.
• ...reorganising old factories to work along Japanese lines.

.... COBUILD