[f. LINE v.2 + -ING1.] The action of LINE v.2
1. Arranging in line, alignment. Chiefly Mil.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, III. ii. 48. That kind of lining which is vsed in placing a pike and a shot. Ibid. Lyning of battels with shot or bowes.
1632. Sherwood, A Lining (or making straight by a line) a thing drawne by line, alignement.
1796. Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 50. The looking and lining of the soldier is always towards that point. Ibid. By the men’s lining themselves to one hand (inwards).
2. The use of the measuring line or of a stretched cord for alignment.
1823. Crabbe, Technol. Dict., Lining, the act of marking the length, breadth, or depth of any piece of timber, according to instruction and design, by a cord rubbed with red or white chalk.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 625. When the slater has finished the eaves, he strains a line on the face of the upper slates…. This lining and laying is continued close to the ridge of the roof.
1860. Eng. & For. Mining Gloss. (Newcastle Terms), Lining, dialling or surveying underground.
b. In Scottish royal burghs: The authoritative fixing of the boundaries of burghal properties. Now usually short for decree of lining, the permission granted by a Dean of Guild to erect or alter a building according to specified conditions. Before the institution of Dean of Guild Courts, this permission had to be obtained from the Chancery, the instrument being called a brieve of lining.
1574. Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1832), 11. The quhilk day the thre Baillies and ane parte of þe counsale past to visie and decyde þe questione of Lyneyng and nytbourheid betuix Thomas Crawfurd … and maister Dauid Conynghame.
1681. Visct. Stair, Instit. Law Scot., IV. ii. § 13 (1693), 554. The third Unretourable Brieve, is, the Brieve of Lyning, which is of this Tenor.
1888. Cases Crt. Session, 4th Ser. XVI. 259. If, for instance, it was proposed to set up a blubber or a glue work in one of the divisions of Princes Street, the Dean of Guild might refuse a lining because [etc.].
1898. N. B. Daily Mail, 23 Sept., 3. This year … 649. linings having been granted at a valuation of £2,106,760.
3. Tracing of lines. Lining out: see quot. 1823.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 587. Lining-out; drawing lines on a piece of timber, &c. so as to cut it into boards, planks, or other figures.
1839. W. A. Chatto, Wood Engraving, viii. 663. Some wood engravers are but too apt to pride themselves on the delicacy of their lining.
1869. Sir E. Reed, Shipbuild., viii. 144. When the lining-out had been completed the beam-arms were punched out.
4. The giving out of a hymn (by the precentor) line by line. Also lining out.
1863. [Catherine C. Hopley], Life in South, I. xvii. 355. Next follows a hymn of alternate singing and ‘lining.’
1883. G. W. Curtis, in Harper’s Mag., Dec., 14/2. The ancient leading and lining of the hymn gave way to modern psalmody.
1894. N. Dickson, Auld Sc. Precentor, 20. This practice was called ‘lining out,’ or ‘reading the line.’
5. Fishing with a line.
1833. J. V. C. Smith, Fishes Massachusetts, 262. It [Weak-Fish] is taken both by lining and seining.
1897. Ld. Mayo, in 19th Cent., Aug., 199, note. Cross-lining, a mode of fishing with two boats; a long line dressed with flies is dragged between each boat.
6. attrib.: lining-gauge, † lining-stick, a typefounder’s tool for testing the exact evenness of the bottom serifs of the letters.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xvii. ¶ 2. The Lining-Stick is about two Inches long for small Letters.
