Definition of 'queue'

queue

(kjuː )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense queues , present participle queuing , past tense, past participle queued language 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 queue of 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. [VERB PARTICLE]

We all had to queue up for our ration books. [VERB PARTICLE + 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

Video: pronunciation of
queue

queue in British English

(kjuː ) mainly British

noun

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

a pigtail

4. See jump the queue

verbWord forms: queues, queuing, queueing or queued

5. (intransitive; often foll by up)

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

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

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

Examples of 'queue' in a sentence
queue

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America must be at the front of that queue. People are queueing to get in from one in the morning.All of a sudden a woman muscled her way to the front of the queue.The chain apologised after the problem led to long queues and angry scenes at checkouts across the country.The pair are said to have joined a car queue then left with takeaways while still in the saddle.This is an opportunity for those that really want the upgrade to get to the front of the queue.There were scenes of chaos as hundreds queued to take buses to other destinations in France. Thousands of people queued to pay tribute at the opera house in Donetsk where his body was displayed.Thousands more will join the dole queues within a year or so.There was chaos at airports as queues formed after the introduction of restrictions on hand luggage.