from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The outline of a wave; specifically, in physics, the path of a wave of light, sound, etc., or the graphic representation of such a path.
- n. Nautical, the general outline of the surface of sea-waves: specifically used attributively to note a method of ship-building devised by J. Scott Russell, in which the lines of the hull of a vessel are adapted scientifically to the lines of the waves, and are nearly or quite cycloidal.
- n. One of the series of lines or furrows produced by the sea-waves upon a sandy beach.
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Nor have we such faith in the ability of the Georgian Squire as to believe that he, from his own observation and acute reasoning on facts which he had noticed when a boy in school, would ever have given to the world the famous wave-line bow to be a pattern on which all nations should model their vessels.
Given a wave-line, the machine draws another wave-line a quarter of
The curves of her sloping neck were perfect and carried not a wave-line of grossness.
Beyond the wave-line, under a cover of foam, the jaded sea lay feebly palpitant like an old man asleep.
The laird sat still, his arms upon his knees, his head a little lifted, his eyes crossing the Kelpie's Pool to the wave-line against the sky.
The wave-line, indeed, may be said not only to suggest movement, but also to describe its direction and force.
The ship-builder adhering to the old model is out-sailed by one who builds on the mechanically-justified wave-line principle.