Queue

A queue is a line or sequence of people or things awaiting their turn to be handled or processed. It's a fundamental concept in organizing order, often used to manage resources efficiently, like customer service, traffic flow, or data processing. The word 'queue' can also refer to the act of waiting in such a line, the position of being at the end of the line (the queue), or the process of adding elements to the queue. The order of elements in a queue is typically first-in, first-out (FIFO).

Queue meaning with examples

• At the supermarket, I joined the queue at checkout; it was a long one, snaking through the aisles. The cashier moved quickly, but the steady stream of customers meant we waited a while. Eventually, it was my turn to pay and leave. I have found the longest queue can test one's patience.
• The website experienced high traffic, and users were placed in a queue to access the server. This prevented crashes and ensured fair access. Each person in the queue had a numbered position representing their order and could watch the progress bar move.
• During the concert, the fans formed a queue to enter the venue. The staff managed the queue with ropes, to help maintain order and the movement of people into the auditorium. I was stuck at the back of the queue, hoping to get close to the front.
• The traffic built up on the highway, forming a queue of vehicles that stretched for miles. Drivers crawled along at a snails pace. The cause was an accident ahead, forcing drivers to wait patiently in the queue. After about an hour, the accident was cleared, and the queue began moving.
• The airline's ticketing system uses a queue to process bookings, dealing with them in the order they were received. This ensures no booking request gets missed. It also helps with load balancing on their server. The queue allowed multiple staff members to process the requests.