push-down queue
- noun
- Specialized
- A push-down queue allows the most recently added item to be accessed first.
Examples
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The programmer used a push-down queue to reverse the order of the elements.
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A push-down queue is often implemented using a stack in programming.
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Understanding how a push-down queue works is important for solving certain algorithm problems.
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The push-down queue is essential for managing tasks efficiently.
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Can you explain how a push-down queue works?
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In data structures, a push-down queue operates under the last in, first out principle.
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Using a push-down queue can simplify the implementation of certain algorithms.
Synonyms
A data structure like a stack where the newest item is removed first
A list where the last item added is the first removed
A list where the last thing you put in comes out first
A way to store items so the last one added is the first taken out
A storage where the last thing put in comes out first, like a pile of plates
Surface Forms
Morphology
push-down + queue
While the words 'push' and 'down' are individually transparent and 'queue' is familiar, the combined form 'push-down queue' denotes a technical LIFO (last-in, first-out) behavior that a B1 learner would not reliably infer from literal meanings alone. The phrase partially hints at a stacking action (push + down) so there is some cueing, but understanding the specific removal order requires prior technical exposure.
Etymology
Push-down queue comes from a simple pile image. Imagine a stack of plates where you push a new plate down on top of the pile; the last plate put on is the first one you take off. So a push-down queue means 'last in, first out', the newest item leaves first.