ridgelinen.
/ˈrɪdʒlʌɪn/, U.S. /ˈrɪdʒˌlaɪn/ 1. The line described by the crest of an elongated raised band or strip on the surface of something, esp. the crest of a chain of hills or mountains.
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1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis i. §vii. ii.168 The Wing-shells striated, each with three ridge-lines, and each having a narrow and level Rimm or Margin.
1802 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. II. 839 The Ness (or Ridge-line, like the line of a fine Nose,) of Sca' Fell runs in behind that of Yewbarrow.
1833 J. F. W. Herschel Astronomy iii. 156 The bottoms of valleys and the ridge-lines of hills.
1878 Ann. Rep. Chief of Engineers to Secretary of War III. 1595 The ridge-lines of gray granite are irregular in outline and present fine pyramid-shaped peaks.
1916 Jrnl. Geol. (Chicago) 24 35 Flat sky lines often are caused by the blending of more than one ridge line of entirely different elevation in the observer's line of sight.
1940 R. Morrish Police & Crime-detection x. 91 Ridge-lines on the print may represent furrows which have become filled with blood on the finger.
1997 Blueprint Mar. 26/1 Set on the chaparral-choked ridgelines that form the rims of the Los Angeles basin and adjacent San Fernando Valley are the largely white and entirely wealthy indigenes of the gated communities.
2. The line of the ridge of a roof. Also: a rope, wire, etc., used to support a ridge tent or awning.
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society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > [noun] > ridge
ridgeOE
rig1327
ridging1458
rigging1503
fust1679
fastigium1706
ridgeline1730
roof ridge1771
1730 B. Langley Young Builder's Rudim. 127 Above the Cornish place the Height of the Roof, Geometricallly giving it its natural Hips, and draw the ridge Line a f.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. xvi. 170 A neat housing of light canvas was stretched upon a ridge-line sustained fore and aft by stanchions.
1896 O. B. Maginnis Roof Framing made Easy iii. 10/1 To obtain lengths and bevels of the common rafter, produce the ridge line G, J, H, to L and K.
1960 Thatcher's Craft (Rural Industries Bureau) ii. 43 Further yealms are required to complete the apex and to enhance the ridge-line..and..this addition to the ridge is known as a ‘pinnacle’.
1993 Toronto Star 24 July e6 They [sc. nets] are lined up side-by-side and anchored by wooden poles and steel cables along two ridgelines.
2002 Canad. Geographic Sept. 77/1 A metal track, affixed to collar-ties below the roof's ridgeline, supported a moving pulley system.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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