15世纪晚期,“用封印悬挂在自由端的信件附带的带子”,来自法语 queue “尾巴”,源自古法语 cue, coe, queue,“尾巴”(12世纪,也指“阴茎”),来自拉丁语 coda(方言变体或替代形式的 cauda)“尾巴”(参见 coda,并比较 cue (n.2))。
在16世纪英语中也有字面使用,“动物的尾巴”,特别是在纹章学中。“舞者的队列”的隐喻扩展(约1500年)可能导致了“人们等候的队列”等的扩展意义(1837年),但这种英语用法可能直接来自法语(queue à queue,“一个接一个”出现在19世纪早期的英语和美军词典中)。
If we look now at Paris one thing is too evident: that the Baker's shops have got their Queues, or Tails ; their long strings of purchasers arranged in tail, so that the first come be the first served,—were the shop once open! This waiting in tail, not seen since the early days of July, again makes its appearance in August. In time, we shall see it perfected, by practice to the rank almost of an art ; and the art, or quasi-art, of standing in tail become one of the characteristics of the Parisian People, distinguishing them from all other Peoples whatsoever. [Carlyle, "The French Revolution," 1837]
如果我们现在看看巴黎,有一件事太明显了:面包店的店铺里有了他们的 Queues,或尾巴;他们的长队购货者排列 in tail,以便先来者先服务——如果商店一旦开门!这种尾随等候,自七月初以来未见,八月再次出现。随着时间的推移,我们将看到它通过实践几乎成为一种艺术的完善;而这种等候的艺术,或准艺术,成为巴黎人民的特征,使他们区别于其他所有人民。[卡莱尔,《法国革命》,1837年]
据说丘吉尔创造了 Queuetopia(1950年),用来形容工党或社会主义政府下的英国。
在18世纪也用于“悬挂在后面的发辫”的意义(1748年有证据),最初是假发的一部分,18世纪后期则指头发。
QUEUE. From the French, which signifies tail; an appendage that every British soldier is directed to wear in lieu of a club. Regimental tails were ordered be nine inches long. [William Duane, "A Military Dictionary," Philadelphia, 1810]
QUEUE. 来自法语,意为尾巴;每个英国士兵被指示佩戴的附属物,以代替棍子。团体的尾巴被要求长九英寸。[威廉·杜安,《军事词典》,费城,1810年]