qui nhong
B1Formal and informal
Definition
Meaning
A line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn.
To form or join a line while waiting; a list of data items, tasks, or messages to be processed in a specific order; to arrange in a sequence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core meaning centers on orderly waiting. In computing, it denotes a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) data structure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
As a noun, 'queue' is standard in both dialects, but 'line' is preferred in AmE for people waiting. As a verb, 'queue up' is common in BrE, while 'line up', 'wait in line', or 'get in line' are typical in AmE.
Connotations
In BrE, 'queue' strongly connotes British social order and etiquette. In AmE, it may sound formal or technical, except in computing contexts where it is standard.
Frequency
Higher frequency in BrE in everyday contexts. In AmE, 'queue' is common in IT and specific phrases ('print queue', 'jump the queue').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
queue (for something)queue (up) to do somethingqueue (behind somebody)something is queued (computing)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “jump the queue (BrE)/cut in line (AmE): to unfairly go ahead of others”
- “queue up: to form or join a line”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Customer service queue management; task queues in project management.
Academic
Used in computer science to describe data structures; in social studies to discuss cultural behaviors.
Everyday
Referring to lines at shops, bus stops, or cinemas.
Technical
A fundamental data structure in programming (e.g., message queue, job queue).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We had to queue for over an hour to get into the exhibition.
- The system will queue the downloads overnight.
American English
- Visitors should queue up behind the yellow line. (formal)
- The printer will queue the jobs in the order received.
adjective
British English
- The queue management system was very efficient.
- Please take a queue number from the dispenser.
American English
- The queue length for the server was unacceptable.
- Set the thread to a high-priority queue state.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is a long queue at the bus stop.
- We queued for the new film.
- If you want a table, you'll have to join the queue.
- I hate queuing at the supermarket checkout.
- A queue of traffic stretched back for two miles from the roundabout.
- Emails are placed in a queue before being sent out in batches.
- The culture of queuing patiently is often seen as a peculiarly British trait.
- The application implements a robust message queuing protocol to handle data flow.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the silent 'ueue' at the end as four people standing patiently in a line, waiting.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDER IS A LINEAR SEQUENCE (e.g., 'queue of tasks', 'queue of events')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'очередь' as 'turn' or 'order'. 'Queue' specifically implies a physical or digital line.
- The verb 'to queue' is active ('стоять в очереди' is better translated as 'to wait in a queue/line').
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'que' or 'cue'. 'Cue' is a signal.
- Incorrect verb pattern: 'I queued to buy tickets' (correct), not 'I queued for buying tickets'.
- Using 'queue' as a countable noun without an article in AmE: 'There was long queue' (incorrect) -> 'There was a long queue/line'.
Practice
Quiz
In American English, which phrase is LEAST likely to be used in an everyday context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'queue' is the standard term for a line of waiting people. In American English, 'line' is standard for this, while 'queue' is more formal or technical.
'Queueing' and 'queuing' are both accepted spellings, though 'queuing' is more common, possibly to avoid the four consecutive vowels.
Yes, it's standard. E.g., 'The program will queue the tasks for later execution.'
It is understood but less common. 'Cut in line' is the typical American English equivalent.