Английский Этимологический словарь - line (n.)

- from O.E. line "rope, row," and from O.Fr. ligne, both from L. linea "linen thread, string, line," from phrase linea restis "linen cord," from lineus (adj.) "of linen," from linum "linen." Oldest sense is "rope, cord, string;" extended in M.E. to "a thread-like mark," also "track, course, direction;" and later to "things or people arranged in a straight line" (1557). Meaning "one's occupation" is from 1655. Meaning "telegraph wire" is from 1851 (later "telephone wire"), hence lineman (1858). Liner "cosmetic" first recorded 1926; liner "ship belonging to a shipping line" is 1829, from notion of a succession of ships plying between ports. Lines of communication were originally transverse trenches in siegeworks. The baseball line-up (1889) is older than the police version (1907).