to line up
114
2.7
- phrasal verb
- /laɪn ʌp/
:
conseguir
- The environmental community had promptly lined up in favor of stringent limits on vehicular emissions.
Have you, what people have you lined up to build this thing?
- Have you, what people have you lined up to build this thing?
- And then we had to a bunch of shows, a tour lined up with Tad.
Examples
-
I brought all the bottles to the kitchen counter and lined them up, seven in all.
Fiction book (1997) -
Because, Leslie explained, he had lined up a job with an important law firm there.
Fiction book (1995) -
And people would line up to see this guy, right?
-
We invite you to line up to ask your question.
-
We have a microphone, oh, just on that side for people to line up and ask questions.
-
Buyers are already lining up.
-
So, we have a few drummers lined up.
-
The class concludes, and Mr. Weiss tells the students to line up and they exit the gymnasium.
Academic text (2007) -
The orderlies brought the blues out on stretchers and lined them up in a neat row.
Fiction book (1998) -
We need to line up volunteers for the charity event next weekend.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To get someone or something you need for a purpose
983
2.7
To assemble and prepare equipment or objects so they are ready to use
66
3.2
To contact a person or obtain something you need
16
3.7
To arrange for someone to meet another person or get something as a favor
Antonyms
How Secured
- Specialized
62
5.3
- Formal
265
2.6
114
2.7
814
2.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'arrange for/obtain' is a metaphorical extension from the literal idea of putting items or people into a line (line) with 'up' adding a sense of arrangement or completion. Although the connection to arranging or securing something can be guessed by seeing the motion/ordering sense, the transitive usage (e.g., 'line up a meeting') is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Line up can also come from the idea of putting people or things into a line or 'lining them up' so they are ready for an event, like arranging speakers one after another. So line up means 'to arrange or get someone or something for a particular purpose'.