For the equivalent French unit used in watchmaking and other industries, see ligne.
The line (abbreviated L or l or ‴ or lin.) was a small English unit of length, variously reckoned as 1⁄10, 1⁄12, 1⁄16, or 1⁄40 of an inch. It was not included among the units authorized as the British Imperial system in 1824.
The line was not recognized by any statute of the English Parliament but was usually understood as 1⁄4 of a barleycorn,[1] which itself was recognized by statute as 1⁄3 of an inch.[2] The line was eventually decimalized as 1⁄10 of an inch, without recourse to barleycorns.[5]
The US button trade uses the same or a similar term but defined as one-fortieth of the US-customary inch (making a button-maker's line equal to 0.635 mm).[6][7]
In useedit
Botanists formerly used the units (usually as 1⁄12 inch) to measure the size of plant parts. Linnaeus's Philosophia botanica (1751) includes the Linea in its summary of units of measurements, defining it as "Linea una Mensurae parisinae"; Stearns gives its length as 2.25 mm. Even after metrication, British botanists continued to employ tools with gradations marked as linea (lines); the British line is approx. 2.1 mm and the Paris line approx. 2.3 mm.[8]
Entomologists, both in the UK and in other European countries, in the 1800s were using lines as a unit of measurement for insects, at least for the relatively large mantids and phasmids - examples include Westwood,[9][10] in the UK, and de Haan[11] in the Netherlands.
^"Barelycorn". Oxford Dictionary of English (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. a former unit of measurement (about a third of an inch) based on the length of a grain of barley
^Fowler, W. (1884). "On the ancient terms applicable to the measurement of land". Transactions. Vol. XVI. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. p. 277.
^"An Easy Guide to Button Measurement and Sizing". Sun Mei Button Enterprise Co., Ltd. 19 June 2019.
^The Metric System | Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Manufactures, United States Senate, Sixty-seventh Congress, First and Second Sessions on S. 2267 a Bill to Fix the Metric System of Weights and Measures as the Single Standard of Weights and Measures for Certain Uses. By United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Manufactures. 11 October 1921. p. 216.
^Stearn, W.T. (1992). Botanical Latin: History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary, Fourth edition. David and Charles.
^Westwood, J.O. (1859). Catalogue of the Orthopterous Insects in the Collection of British Museum. Part I: Phasmidae. British Museum, London.
^Westwood, J.O. (1889). Revisio Insectorum Familiae Mantidarum, speciebus novis aut minus cognitis descriptis et delineatis. – Revisio Mantidarum. Gurney & Jackson, London.
^Haan, W.de (1842). Bijdragen tot de Kennis Orthoptera. in C.J. Temminck, Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche Bezittingen. volume 2.
^ Albert Johannsen. "Manual of petrographic methods". p. 623.
^ Karl Wilhelm Naegeli; Simon Schwendener. "The Microscope in Theory and Practice". p. 294.
Bibliographyedit
Cardarelli, F. (2004), Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their SI Equivalences and Origins, 2nd ed., Springer, ISBN1-85233-682-X.
Cole, Rory Ely (2002), , archived from the original on 19 January 2012.
Hogg, Ian V.; et al. (1991), Military Small Arms of the 20th Century, 6th ed., Guild Publishing.
Jefferson, Thomas (4 July 1790), Report on the Subject of Measures, Weights, and Coins, New York.
Niles, Hezekiah, ed. (1814), "Jefferson on Weights and Measures: Letter from the Secretary of State to the Speaker of the House of Representatives: New-York, July 4, 1790", The Weekly Register, vol. V (Sept. 1813 – Mar. 1814), Baltimore: Franklin Press, pp. 20–26.
December 07, 2023
line, unit, equivalent, french, unit, used, watchmaking, other, industries, ligne, line, abbreviated, small, english, unit, length, variously, reckoned, inch, included, among, units, authorized, british, imperial, system, 1824, contents, size, foreign, units, . For the equivalent French unit used in watchmaking and other industries see ligne The line abbreviated L or l or or lin was a small English unit of length variously reckoned as 1 10 1 12 1 16 or 1 40 of an inch It was not included among the units authorized as the British Imperial system in 1824 Contents 1 Size 2 In use 3 Foreign units 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 BibliographySize editThe line was not recognized by any statute of the English Parliament but was usually understood as 1 4 of a barleycorn 1 which itself was recognized by statute as 1 3 of an inch 2 The line was eventually decimalized as 1 10 of an inch without recourse to barleycorns 5 The US button trade uses the same or a similar term but defined as one fortieth of the US customary inch making a button maker s line equal to 0 635 mm 6 7 In use editBotanists formerly used the units usually as 1 12 inch to measure the size of plant parts Linnaeus s Philosophia botanica 1751 includes the Linea in its summary of units of measurements defining it as Linea una Mensurae parisinae Stearns gives its length as 2 25 mm Even after metrication British botanists continued to employ tools with gradations marked as linea lines the British line is approx 2 1 mm and the Paris line approx 2 3 mm 8 Entomologists both in the UK and in other European countries in the 1800s were using lines as a unit of measurement for insects at least for the relatively large mantids and phasmids examples include Westwood 9 10 in the UK and de Haan 11 in the Netherlands Gunsmiths and armament companies also employed the 1 10 inch line the decimal line in part owing to the importance of the German and Russian arms industries 12 These are now given in terms of millimeters but the seemingly arbitrary 7 62 mm caliber was originally understood as a 3 line caliber as with the 1891 Mosin Nagant rifle The 12 7 mm caliber used by the M2 Browning machine gun was similarly a 5 line caliber 12 Foreign units editOther similar small units called lines include The Russian liniya li niya 1 10 of the diuym which had been set precisely equal to an English inch by Peter the Great 13 The French ligne or Paris line 1 12 of the French inch French pouce 2 256 mm and about 1 06 L The Portuguese linha 1 12 of the Portuguese inch or 12 points pontos or 2 29 mm The German linie was usually 1 12 of the German inch but sometimes also 1 10 German inch The Vienna line 1 12 of a Vienna inch 14 15 See also editEnglish units used prior to 1824 Imperial units defined by the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824 List of unusual units of measurementReferences editCitations edit Barelycorn Oxford Dictionary of English 3rd ed Oxford University Press a former unit of measurement about a third of an inch based on the length of a grain of barley Fowler W 1884 On the ancient terms applicable to the measurement of land Transactions Vol XVI Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors p 277 Jefferson 1790 Niles 1814 p 22 Jefferson 3 republished by Niles 4 An Easy Guide to Button Measurement and Sizing Sun Mei Button Enterprise Co Ltd 19 June 2019 The Metric System Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Manufactures United States Senate Sixty seventh Congress First and Second Sessions on S 2267 a Bill to Fix the Metric System of Weights and Measures as the Single Standard of Weights and Measures for Certain Uses By United States Congress Senate Committee on Manufactures 11 October 1921 p 216 Stearn W T 1992 Botanical Latin History grammar syntax terminology and vocabulary Fourth edition David and Charles Westwood J O 1859 Catalogue of the Orthopterous Insects in the Collection of British Museum Part I Phasmidae British Museum London Westwood J O 1889 Revisio Insectorum Familiae Mantidarum speciebus novis aut minus cognitis descriptis et delineatis Revisio Mantidarum Gurney amp Jackson London Haan W de 1842 Bijdragen tot de Kennis Orthoptera in C J Temminck Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche Bezittingen volume 2 a b Hogg 1991 Cardarelli 2004 pp 121 124 Albert Johannsen Manual of petrographic methods p 623 Karl Wilhelm Naegeli Simon Schwendener The Microscope in Theory and Practice p 294 Bibliography edit Cardarelli F 2004 Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units Weights and Measures Their SI Equivalences and Origins 2nd ed Springer ISBN 1 85233 682 X Cole Rory Ely 2002 Common Linear Measure Years of 732 amp 1154 archived from the original on 19 January 2012 Hogg Ian V et al 1991 Military Small Arms of the 20th Century 6th ed Guild Publishing Jefferson Thomas 4 July 1790 Report on the Subject of Measures Weights and Coins New York Niles Hezekiah ed 1814 Jefferson on Weights and Measures Letter from the Secretary of State to the Speaker of the House of Representatives New York July 4 1790 The Weekly Register vol V Sept 1813 Mar 1814 Baltimore Franklin Press pp 20 26 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Line unit amp oldid 1068508335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
