the route along which particles travel between one terminal and the next in an organization; a fixed pattern of terminals who originate and receive or receive and relay orders, information or other particles. A linecan be vertical such as a command line where authority and power of position increases the higher up one goes, or a linecan be horizontal where each terminal on the line shares a similar status. See also terminal in this glossary.—How To Live Though an Executive. Final approval 31.10.89