Line Up vs. Queue: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Line Up refers to arranging in a straight line; Queue is a British term for a line of people or vehicles waiting their turn.
Key Differences
Line Up often implies a formation of people or things in a straight row, typically to maintain order or for a specific purpose. Queue, used predominantly in British English, describes a line of people or vehicles awaiting their turn, especially at a service point. Both terms denote an organized sequence but vary in regional usage.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In sports or events, Line Up can mean the arrangement of players or participants in a specific order or position. Queue, in a similar context, would refer to spectators or attendees waiting in a line to enter the venue. While both involve an orderly arrangement, Line Up is more about positioning, and Queue is about waiting.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Line Up is also used figuratively to describe preparing or organizing things in advance. Queue in computing refers to a list of data items, commands, etc., waiting to be processed. Both terms, while used in different contexts, imply a sequence or an order.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In law enforcement, a Line Up is a process of arranging suspects for identification. A Queue, however, doesn't have a similar application in this field. This highlights how the usage of Line Up can be context-specific, unlike Queue, which is more universally understood as a waiting line.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In colloquial terms, to Line Up something can mean to arrange or prepare it, often in a casual manner. Queue is less frequently used in a casual context and maintains its formal meaning related to waiting in line. Thus, Line Up has a broader, more flexible usage compared to Queue.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Regional Usage
Common in American English.
Predominantly used in British English.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Context
Used in diverse contexts (e.g., sports, events, law enforcement).
Primarily denotes waiting lines (e.g., at service points).
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Figurative Usage
Can be used figuratively (e.g., preparing things).
Less common in figurative speech.
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Dec 13, 2023
Computing
Not typically used in computing contexts.
Refers to a list of items awaiting processing.
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Dec 13, 2023
Informal Usage
Can be used in a casual, informal sense.
Rarely used informally, retains a formal connotation.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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Line Up and Queue Definitions
Queue
A line of people waiting their turn.
There was a long queue at the ticket counter.
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Dec 06, 2023
Line Up
Arrange suspects for identification.
The police conducted a line up for witness identification.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Queue
Sequential arrangement.
Messages are handled in the order they are queued.
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Dec 06, 2023
Line Up
Assemble for a specific purpose.
Fans lined up for the movie premiere.
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Dec 06, 2023
Line Up
Position players or participants.
The coach lined up the players for the drill.
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Dec 06, 2023
Queue
A data structure from which the first item that can be retrieved is the one stored earliest.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Line Up
The formation of football players before the start or a restart of play.
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
A long braid of hair worn hanging down the back of the neck; a pigtail.
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Dec 05, 2023
Line Up
Any arrangement of persons (rarely, of things), esp. when having a common purpose or sentiment; as, the line-up at a ticket-office window; the line-up of political factions.
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Dec 05, 2023
Line Up
A group of persons including a suspect in a police investigation, arranged so as to be observed by a witness, who is requested to identify the perpetrator, if he/she is present in the group. Such an identification may be used as evidence of guilt of the suspect. Also called a police lineup.
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
A line of people, vehicles or other objects, in which one at the front end is dealt with first, the one behind is dealt with next, and so on, and which newcomers join at the opposite end (the back).
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
A waiting list or other means of organizing people or objects into a first-come-first-served order.
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
(computing) A data structure in which objects are added to one end, called the tail, and removed from the other, called the head (in the case of a FIFO queue). The term can also refer to a LIFO queue or stack where these ends coincide.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Queue
A men's hairstyle with a braid or ponytail at the back of the head, such as that worn by men in Imperial China.
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
(intransitive) To put oneself or itself at the end of a waiting line.
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
(information processing) an ordered list of tasks to be performed or messages to be transmitted
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
Form a queue, form a line, stand in line;
Customers lined up in front of the store
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Dec 05, 2023
Queue
A list of data awaiting processing.
The print queue was full of pending documents.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can Line Up be used figuratively?
Yes, it can mean preparing or organizing things.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
What does Line Up mean in a sports context?
It refers to the arrangement of players in specific positions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
What does Queue mean in computing?
It refers to a list of items waiting to be processed.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is Line Up used in law enforcement?
Yes, for arranging suspects for identification.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can Queue be used informally?
It's less common and retains a more formal connotation.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is Line Up common in American English?
Yes, it's more widely used in American than British English.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is Queue used outside the UK?
Yes, but it's more common in British English.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Does Queue always involve waiting?
Generally, yes, especially in physical or digital contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
What's a casual use of Line Up?
Organizing or preparing things in a non-formal context.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is Line Up used in computing?
Not typically, it's more common in everyday language.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is Queue specific to any field?
It's widely used but especially common in service-related contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
What's an example of Line Up in an event?
"Attendees lined up at the entrance."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
How is Line Up used in colloquial speech?
It's often used to mean organizing or arranging casually.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Does Line Up have a formal or informal connotation?
It can be used both formally and informally.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Do Line Up and Queue mean the same in all contexts?
No, they have different uses and connotations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is there a figurative use for Queue?
It's rare, as Queue usually retains its literal meaning.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can Queue be used in a sports context?
It's less common and usually refers to spectators, not players.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can Queue be used to refer to a list in computing?
Yes, it's a common term in computing for data processing.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
What's a non-standard use of Queue?
Queue is less flexible and typically sticks to its standard meaning of a waiting line.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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