Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense queues, present participle queuing, past tense, past participle queuedlanguage note: queueing can also be used as the continuous form.
1. countable noun
A queue is a line of people or vehicles that are waiting for something.
[mainly British]
I watched as he got a tray and joined the queue.
She waited in the bus queue.
There was still a queue for tickets on the night.
Behind him was a long queue of angry motorists.
[Also + for/of]regional note: in AM, usually use line
Synonyms: tailback, line, traffic jam, stream More Synonyms of queue
2. countable noun [usually singular]
If you say there is a queueof people who want to do or have something, you mean that a lot of people are waiting for an opportunity to do it or have it.
[mainly British]
Manchester United would be at the front of a queue of potential buyers. [+ of]
Single parents got priority in the housing queue.
The queue for places at the school has never been longer.
regional note: in AM, usually use line
Synonyms: wait, waiting list More Synonyms of queue
3. verb
When people queue, they stand in a line waiting for something.
[mainly British]
I had to queue for quite a while. [VERB]
...a line of women queueing for bread. [VERB + for]
Synonyms: wait in line, line up, stand in a queue, form a queue More Synonyms of queue
Queue up means the same as queue.
A mob of journalists are queuing up at the gate to photograph him. [VERBPARTICLE]
We all had to queue up for our ration books. [VERBPARTICLE + for]
regional note: in AM, usually use line up
4. countable noun
A queue is a list of computer tasks which will be done in order.
[computing]
Your print job has been sent to the network print queue.
5. verb
To queue a number of computer tasks means to arrange them to be done in order.
[computing]
Phrasal verbs:
See queue up
More Synonyms of queue
queue in British English
(kjuː) mainly British
noun
1.
a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for something
a queue at the theatre
US and Canadian word: line
2. computing
a list in which entries are deleted from one end and inserted at the other
3.
a pigtail
4. jump the queue
verbWord forms: queues, queuing, queueing or queued
5. (intransitive; often foll byup)
to form or remain in a line while waiting
6. computing
to arrange (a number of programs) in a predetermined order for accessing by a computer
Word origin
C16 (in the sense: tail); C18 (in the sense: pigtail): via French from Latin cauda tail
queue in American English
(kju)
noun
1.
a plait of hair worn hanging from the back of the head; pigtail
2. British
a line or file of persons, vehicles, etc. waiting as to be served
3.
a stored arrangement of computer data or programs, waiting to be processed
verb intransitiveWord forms: queued or ˈqueuing
4. British
to form in or be part of a line or file while waiting to be served, etc.
often with up
Word origin
Fr < OFr coue < L coda, var. of cauda, tail
COBUILD Collocations
queue
check-in queue
endless queue
Examples of 'queue' in a sentence
queue
America must be at the front of that queue.
The Sun (2016)
People are queueing to get in from one in the morning.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All of a sudden a woman muscled her way to the front of the queue.
The Sun (2016)
The chain apologised after the problem led to long queues and angry scenes at checkouts across the country.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The pair are said to have joined a car queue then left with takeaways while still in the saddle.
The Sun (2017)
This is an opportunity for those that really want the upgrade to get to the front of the queue.
Computing (2010)
There were scenes of chaos as hundreds queued to take buses to other destinations in France.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Thousands of people queued to pay tribute at the opera house in Donetsk where his body was displayed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Thousands more will join the dole queues within a year or so.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There was chaos at airports as queues formed after the introduction of restrictions on hand luggage.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They want to meet the people in the queue.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The walkout led to lengthy queues for buses and cramped conditions on vehicles.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Why not have food run by a national food service and distributed with rationing by queue?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
My new friend rushed me to the head of one queue.
Hyland, Paul Indian Balm - Travels in the Southern Subcontinent (1994)
Do they jump the queue at the job centre?
The Sun (2006)
When she reached the front of the queue the doctor spoke a different language.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Behind him was a long queue of angry motorists pushing him forwards.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
Instead they will have to join the long queue of unsecured creditors.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Long queues formed again outside many branches.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Over the past week people have queued for hours to withdraw cash.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Teams are teaching commuters to form queues at bus stops.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
New research shows millions are deeply resentful because they think new arrivals jump the queue for housing.
The Sun (2008)
But if the space on the roads is not priced it will be rationed by queues instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
An electronic voice announced to a queue of one that cashier number three was now free.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The line of people queuing to have blood tests snakes out of the waiting room and round the corner.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
queue
British English: queue /kjuː/ NOUN
A queue is a line of people or vehicles that are waiting for something.
He got a tray and joined the queue.
American English: line of people, vehicles
Arabic: صَفَّ
Brazilian Portuguese: fila
Chinese: 队列
Croatian: red
Czech: fronta řada
Danish: kø
Dutch: wachtrij
European Spanish: cola
Finnish: jono
French: queue attente
German: Schlange warten
Greek: ουρά σειρά αναμονής
Italian: coda
Japanese: 列
Korean: 줄
Norwegian: kø
Polish: kolejka
European Portuguese: fila
Romanian: coadă
Russian: очередь
Latin American Spanish: cola
Swedish: kö
Thai: แถวยาว
Turkish: kuyruk insan sırası
Ukrainian: черга
Vietnamese: hàng xếp
British English: queue /kjuː/ VERB
When people queue, they stand in a line waiting for something.
I had to queue for quite a while.
American English: line up
Arabic: يَقِفُ فِي الصَّفِ
Brazilian Portuguese: fazer fila
Chinese: 排队
Croatian: čekati u redu
Czech: stát frontu
Danish: stille sig i kø
Dutch: in de rij staan
European Spanish: hacer cola
Finnish: jonottaa
French: faire la queue
German: Schlange stehen
Greek: περιμένω στην ουρά
Italian: mettersi in coda
Japanese: 列を作る
Korean: 줄을 짓다
Norwegian: stå i kø
Polish: stać w kolejce
European Portuguese: fazer fila
Romanian: a sta la coadă
Russian: стоять в очереди
Latin American Spanish: hacer cola
Swedish: köa
Thai: เข้าคิว
Turkish: kuyruğa girmek
Ukrainian: стояти в черзі
Vietnamese: xếp hàng
All related terms of 'queue'
job queue
a list of documents that are waiting to be printed
queue up
If you say that people are queuing up to do or have something, you mean that a lot of them want the opportunity to do it or have it.
dole queue
When people talk about the dole queue , they are talking about the state of being unemployed , especially when saying how many people are unemployed.
queue-jump
to take a place in a queue ahead of those already queuing; push in
endless queue
A queue is a line of people or vehicles that are waiting for something.
queue-jumping
If you accuse someone of queue-jumping , you mean that they are trying to get to the front of a queue or waiting list unfairly.
check-in queue
A queue is a line of people or vehicles that are waiting for something.
jump the queue
to take a place in a queue ahead of those already queuing; push in
Chinese translation of 'queue'
queue
(kjuː) (esp Brit)
n(c)
队(隊) (duì) (支, zhī)
美 = line
vi
(also queue up) 排队(隊) (páiduì)
美 = line up
to jump the queue加塞儿(兒) (jiāsāir)
to queue for sth为(為)某事排队(隊) (wèi mǒushì páiduì)
to be queueing up for sth/to do sth (fig) 为(為)某事/做某事排队(隊)等候 (wèi mǒushì/zuò mǒushì páiduì děnghòu)
1 (noun)
Definition
a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
A queue of more than sixty people snaked its way down the pavement.
Synonyms
line
Children clutching empty bowls form a line.
row
a row of pretty little cottages
file
A file of soldiers, marched past.
train
a long train of oil tankers
series
a series of explosions
chain
a horrific chain of events
string
The landscape is broken only by a string of villages.
column
There were reports of columns of military vehicles appearing on the streets.
sequence
the sequence of events that led to the murder
succession
He took a succession of jobs which have stood him in good stead.
procession
a seemingly endless procession of corruption cases
crocodile (British, informal)
progression
the steady progression of events in my life
cavalcade
a cavalcade of limousines and police motorcycles
concatenation (formal)
2 (noun)
Definition
a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
a long queue of angry motorists
Synonyms
tailback
line
traffic jam
He was delayed in a traffic jam.
stream
3 (noun)
The queue for places at school has never been longer.
Synonyms
wait
waiting list
(verb)
Definition
to form or remain in a line while waiting
a line of women queueing for bread
Synonyms
wait in line
line up
The senior leaders lined up behind him in orderly rows.
stand in a queue
form a queue
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cavalcade
Definition
a procession of people on horseback or in cars
a cavalcade of limousines and police motorcycles
Synonyms
parade,
train,
procession,
march-past
in the sense of chain
Definition
a series of connected facts or events
a horrific chain of events
Synonyms
series,
set,
train,
string,
sequence,
succession,
progression,
concatenation
in the sense of column
Definition
a narrow formation in which individuals or units follow one behind the other
There were reports of columns of military vehicles appearing on the streets.
Synonyms
line,
train,
row,
file,
rank,
string,
queue,
procession,
cavalcade
Synonyms of 'queue'
queue
Explore 'queue' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of concatenation
Definition
a series of linked events
Synonyms
series,
linking,
chain,
connection,
sequence,
succession,
interlocking,
nexus
in the sense of file
Definition
a line of people in marching formation, one behind another
A file of soldiers, marched past.
Synonyms
line,
row,
chain,
string,
column,
queue,
procession
in the sense of line up
The senior leaders lined up behind him in orderly rows.
Synonyms
queue up,
file,
fall in,
form a queue,
form ranks
in the sense of procession
a seemingly endless procession of corruption cases
Synonyms
sequence,
run,
course,
train,
series,
cycle,
string,
succession
in the sense of progression
Definition
a sequence of numbers in which each term differs from the succeeding term by a fixed ratio
the steady progression of events in my life
Synonyms
sequence,
course,
order,
series,
chain,
cycle,
string,
succession
in the sense of row
Definition
an arrangement of people or things in a line
a row of pretty little cottages
Synonyms
line,
bank,
range,
series,
file,
rank,
string,
column,
sequence,
queue,
tier
in the sense of sequence
Definition
an arrangement of two or more things in a successive order
the sequence of events that led to the murder
Synonyms
succession,
course,
series,
order,
chain,
cycle,
arrangement,
procession,
progression
in the sense of series
Definition
a group or succession of related things
a series of explosions
Synonyms
sequence,
course,
chain,
succession,
run,
set,
line,
order,
train,
arrangement,
string,
progression
in the sense of string
Definition
a series of things or events
The landscape is broken only by a string of villages.
Synonyms
series,
line,
row,
file,
sequence,
queue,
succession,
procession
in the sense of succession
Definition
a number of people or things following one another in order
He took a succession of jobs which have stood him in good stead.
Synonyms
series,
run,
sequence,
course,
order,
train,
flow,
chain,
cycle,
procession,
continuation,
progression
Additional synonyms
in the sense of traffic jam
Definition
a number of vehicles so obstructed that they can scarcely move