line up
line up — phrasal verb
- line upbase form
- lines up3rd person singular
- lining up-ing form
- lined uppast simple
1. when a group of people stand one behind the other, waiting for their turn to get
when a group of people stand one behind the other, waiting for their turn to get something such as tickets, food, or to enter a place.
Fans lined up outside the stadium three hours before the concert started.
intransitive + place/time phrase
People lined up along the parade route since early morning to see the colourful floats.
Tara told the children to line up quietly at the classroom door before lunch.
Justin and his classmates lined up at the ticket counter to buy lunch vouchers.
A long line of customers has lined up outside the bakery since five in the morning.
- queue
used primarily in British English; 'queue up' is more common than 'line up' in the UK
- stand in line
the most common US English equivalent, especially for waiting
文法句型
line up + adverb/preposition (outside, at, for, along)
常見錯誤
2. to put several things or people in a straight row, usually so they are neat, tid
to put several things or people in a straight row, usually so they are neat, tidy, or properly organised.
Evelyn lined up the chairs along the wall before the school assembly began.
transitive: lined up + object + place
Vinícius lined up the books on his desk from the tallest to the shortest.
We lined up the flower pots on the balcony railing to catch the morning sunlight.
The coach lined up the players on the field and asked them to jog two laps.
Iker lined up the empty bottles on the kitchen counter before taking them to the recycling bin.
- scatter
to spread things randomly rather than placing them in a row
文法句型
line + noun + up
line up + noun + adverb/preposition
3. to make preparations so that a particular event, activity, or person will be rea
to make preparations so that a particular event, activity, or person will be ready and available when needed.
Hassan lined up a meeting with the client for next Tuesday afternoon.
transitive: line up a meeting
The festival organisers have lined up an exciting programme of musicians and speakers.
present perfect: have lined up + programme
Noor's agent lined up three job interviews at different companies before she even graduated.
Eitan has lined up a great band for his sister's wedding reception next month.
The school lined up a guest speaker to talk to students about climate change.
- arrange
the more general verb; 'line up' adds a sense of securing or booking in advance
- organise
broader in scope; 'organise an event' may include planning the details, while 'line up' focuses on securing participants or bookings
- set up
informal; often interchangeable with 'line up' for meetings and appointments
文法句型
line up + noun (event / meeting / interview / person)
have something lined up
用法筆記
Common in the perfect aspect ('have/has lined up') to emphasise that arrangements are already complete. Also frequently used in the passive: 'Everything is lined up for the concert.'
4. to adjust the position of something so that it sits exactly in the correct place
to adjust the position of something so that it sits exactly in the correct place relative to something else, especially along a straight line or edge.
Takeshi lined up the edge of the paper with a ruler before cutting it.
pattern: line up + noun + with + noun
The mechanic lined up the car's front wheels to fix the pulling problem while driving.
Justin lined up the two picture frames on the wall so their bottom edges matched.
Iker lined up the camera lens with the centre of the painting before taking the photo.
Tuan lined up the screws along the edge of the shelf before drilling them into the wood.
- align
more formal and precise; 'align' is more common in technical writing
- straighten
focuses on removing crookedness rather than matching to a reference point
- adjust
much broader; not specific to making something straight or level
- misalign
to put something in the wrong position relative to something else
文法句型
line up + noun + with + noun
用法筆記
This sense is common in technical or craft contexts — carpentry, photography, machinery, design. The object is typically a physical item (a tool, part, or piece of material) that needs precise positioning.