line up
phr. v..phr. v.. to stand in a row, usually waiting for something or someone.
phr. v.. to arrange oneself in a line; the particle 'up' indicates a movement towards a point or destination.
The customers lined up to buy the new shoes.
The soldiers lined up for inspection before the battle.
The protesters lined up along the street, holding signs and chanting slogans, demanding an immediate response from the government.
- Particles
- up
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- line + up + object
The particle 'up' is optional and often unpronounced; the verb can be used transitively or intransitively.
contrast with 'queue up' (more formal, suggests a deliberate waiting process); 'line up' is more general and often implies a less organized situation.
She lined up the books.She lined up the books.The object is the reason for the lining up.