On-line

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  online \on"line`\, on-line \on"-line`\adj.
     1. 1 (Computers) connected by a communications line to a
        computer. Opposite of {off-line}.
  
     Syn: online, on line(predicate).
          [WordNet 1.5]


  
     2. [prenominal] being in progress now; ongoing; as, on-line
        editorial projects. [Colloq.]
  
     Syn: in progress(predicate), ongoing, on line(predicate).
          [WordNet 1.5]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  on-line
       adj 1: on a regular route of a railroad or bus or airline system;
              "on-line industries" [ant: {off-line}]
       2: connected to a computer network or accessible by computer;
          "an on-line database" [ant: {off-line}]
       3: being in progress now; "on-line editorial projects" [syn: {on-line(a)}]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  on-line
       
           1. Ready for use.  E.g. "The graph plotter's fixed
          and on-line again".
       
          2. {Interactive} as opposed to {batch}.  Accessible via a
          computer (or {terminal}), rather than on paper or other
          medium.
       
          3. Of a user, actively using a computer system, especially the
          {Internet}.  E.g "I haven't been on-line for three days."
       
          "On-line" should be hyphenated because it is compounded from
          two words but the hyphen is often omitted in names of
          organisations or services.
       
          (1998-12-22)