queue

cut the queue

To go ahead of other people who are waiting for something in a line, rather than standing behind the last person, as is customary. Primarily heard in UK. I wanted to shout at the man for cutting the queue, but I was too embarrassed about making a scene. Hey, don't cut the queue! Go to the back and wait your turn like the rest of us! Come on, we can't cut the queue unless you want all these people to hate us.

See also: cut, queue

jump the queue

Primarily heard in UK.

1. To move in front of people who have been waiting in a line for something (rather than standing behind the last person, as is customary). Hey, don't jump the queue! Get behind the rest of us! I wanted to shout at the man for jumping the queue, but I was too embarrassed about making a scene.

2. To do something before it is one's turn. There has been public outrage after it came to light that some people had been jumping the queue for surgery appointments because they had a friend or relative working at the hospital.

See also: jump, queue

queue up

1. To enter or form a line while waiting for something. Primarily heard in UK. I hate having to queue up so early in the morning just to get tickets to a concert. We're asking everyone to queue up while they wait to be seen.

2. To place people or things in a sequential order. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "queue" and "up." Primarily heard in UK. The app lets you queue up the videos you want to watch next. The airline staff queued us up for boarding.

3. In video games, to enter into a sequence along with other people waiting to be allowed to play. The game lets me queue up, but each time I'm about to join a match it boots me from the server. They have a fun minigame you can play while you queue up for your next round.

4. In video games, to place someone into a sequence along with other people waiting to be allowed to play. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "queue" and "up." The party leader queued us up for our next raid. For some reason, the developers decided to queue you up with random players every time you enter a new match.

See also: queue, up

queue up (for something)

To get into a line to wait (for something). Sometimes also modified by "for (some amount of time)" immediately after "queue up." Primarily heard in UK. I hate having to queue up so early just to get tickets. The new restaurant has already become a huge success, with people queuing up for hours for a seat each night. We queued up for a chance to meet the author.

See also: queue, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

queue up (for something)

to line up for something. (*Typically British.) We had to queue up for tickets to the play. You must queue up here to get in.

See also: queue, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

jump the queue

1 push into a queue of people in order to be served or dealt with before your turn. 2 take unfair precedence over others.

The US version of this expression is jump in line .

See also: jump, queue

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

jump the ˈqueue

(British English) (American English jump the ˈline, cut in ˈline) go to the front of a line of people without waiting for your turn: I get very angry with people who jump the queue. ▶ ˈqueue-jumping (British English) (American English ˈline-jumping less frequent) noun: This practice encourages queue-jumping for medical services.

See also: jump, queue

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

queue up

v.

1. To form an ordered sequence or line; line up: The patrons queued up outside the theater. The customers queued up at the ticket booth.

2. To order some set of things to deal with them in sequence; line up something: Queue up the children, and I'll serve them lunch. We'll queue the applicants up and interview them one at a time.

See also: queue, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.