noun
queue
kyoo
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."
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."
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."
2
To add an item to a waiting list or processing order.
"I queued up three songs to play next."
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
Word Forms
queued past tense, queues plural, queues singular
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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.