queue
kyoo
Queue (noun) means a line of people or vehicles waiting their turn, served in the order they arrived. Example: “There was a long queue outside the bakery before it even opened.”
noun
1
A line of people or vehicles waiting their turn, served in the order they arrived.
"There was a long queue outside the bakery before it even opened."
"She joined the back of the queue for the rollercoaster."
"Please wait in the queue and the next cashier will call you."
2
In computing, a data structure that holds items to be processed in order, usually first-in-first-out.
"The print job sat in the queue behind three other documents."
"The program adds each new message to a queue and handles them one at a time."
"Because the queue is first-in-first-out, the oldest task is always processed first."
verb
1
To line up and wait for a turn.
"Fans queued overnight for tickets to the concert."
"You have to queue at the counter before you can order."
"We had to queue for half an hour to get into the museum."
2
To add an item to a waiting list or processing order.
"I queued up three songs to play next."
"Please queue the next video so it starts when this one ends."
"She queued the emails to send at nine tomorrow morning."
How to use queue
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA line you wait in, or a list of things waiting to be dealt with in order.
UK vs US
"Queue" is the standard British word for what Americans usually just call a "line."
Common pairings
join the queue
jump the queue
queue up
in the queue
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Word forms
- Plural
- queues
- Third person singular
- queues
- Past tense
- queued
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
There was a long _____ outside the bakery before it even opened.
Etymology
From Old French cöe/cue, "tail" — the same idea survives in the sense of a line of people trailing off like a tail.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for queue
See all rhymes for queue →Frequently asked questions
What does “queue” mean?
The word “queue” means a line of people or vehicles waiting their turn, served in the order they arrived. In plain terms, a line you wait in, or a list of things waiting to be dealt with in order.
How do you pronounce “queue”?
“Queue” is pronounced kyoo (/kju/ in IPA).
How do you use “queue” in a sentence?
Here is “queue” used in a sentence: “There was a long queue outside the bakery before it even opened.”
What part of speech is “queue”?
Depending on how it is used, “queue” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “queue” come from?
The word “queue” comes from Old French. From Old French cöe/cue, "tail" — the same idea survives in the sense of a line of people trailing off like a tail.
Is “queue” a common word?
“Queue” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “queue” have?
“Queue” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a line of people or vehicles waiting their turn, served in the order they arrived.
What is the difference between a queue and a line?
"Queue" and "line" both describe people or vehicles waiting their turn in order, but "queue" is the standard British English term while "line" is more common in American English. They refer to the same concept.
What is the difference between a queue and a waitlist?
A queue is a line of people or items waiting in the order they arrived, often served in real time, such as people waiting outside a shop. A waitlist is typically a recorded list of names waiting for an opening, such as a spot in a class, and doesn't necessarily involve physically waiting in one place.
What does queue mean in computing?
In computing, a queue is a data structure that holds items to be processed in order, usually on a first-in-first-out basis. This mirrors the everyday meaning of people waiting their turn, but applies to data or tasks instead.
How is "queue" used as a verb?
As a verb, "queue" can mean to physically line up and wait for a turn, or to add an item to a waiting list or processing order, as in "queue the file for printing." The phrase "queue up" is also commonly used for lining up.
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