que.
B1Neutral/Formal (for line); Specialised (for computing/data); Dated (for hairstyle).
Definition
Meaning
A line or sequence of people, vehicles, or other items waiting their turn for something.
A list of data items, tasks, or requests that are stored in order and processed sequentially; an arrangement of hair worn in a long braid or braids down the back (chiefly historical/British).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The concept implies ordered waiting, often on a first-come, first-served basis. In computing, it describes an abstract data structure. The hairstyle sense (pigtail) is rare in modern AmE.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: Ubiquitous for a line of people. US: 'Line' is more common in everyday speech; 'queue' is understood and used, often in more formal contexts or in computing.
Connotations
UK: Strongly associated with orderly, British social behaviour. US: Can sound slightly formal or technical; the hairstyle sense is almost unknown.
Frequency
UK: Very High. US: Medium, but rising due to tech terminology (e.g., print queue).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
queue (for sth)queue (up) (for sth)queue (to do sth)sth is queued (computing)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “jump the queue (BrE)/cut in line (AmE)”
- “queue-jumper”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Customer service: managing queues; Computing: job queues, message queues.
Academic
Used in computer science, operations research, and sociology.
Everyday
Waiting at a shop, bus stop, or cinema.
Technical
A fundamental data structure (FIFO - First In, First Out).
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the silent U-E-U-E at the end of the word as people standing in a line: you (U) wait, then another (E) waits, then you (U) wait again, then another (E).
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/TASKS ARE OBJECTS IN A LINE (e.g., 'My tasks are queued up for the afternoon.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'cue' (signal) or ' Kew' (gardens). The Russian 'очередь' maps directly to the 'line of people' sense.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'que' (incomplete), 'queeu', 'queu'. Confusing verb forms: 'queuing/queueing' (both correct BrE).