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queue up

A2 neutral inseparable both
In simple words

To stand in a line and wait for your turn.

Literal meaning: To form up into a queue — a line of people waiting their turn.

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To join or form an orderly line while waiting for something, such as a service, event, or product.

"Hundreds of fans queued up outside the stadium hours before the concert began."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 neutral

In computing or technology, to add tasks, files, or requests to a waiting list for sequential processing.

"The system queues up all incoming print jobs and processes them in the order they were received."

Grammar: separable
3 B1 idiomatic informal

Figuratively, to prepare or line up a series of things, events, or ideas in sequence.

"The producer had several new artists queued up for the label's next release schedule."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Primarily British English. 'Queue' itself already implies an orderly line; 'up' emphasizes the act of forming or joining that line. Also used in computing to describe adding items or tasks to a waiting list for processing. Very common in British everyday speech. Americans typically say 'line up' or 'get in line.'

Commonly used with

tickets bus shop download outside early

Forms

Base
queue up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
queues up
he/she/it
Past simple
queued up
yesterday
Past participle
queued up
have + pp
-ing form
queuing up
continuous

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