In a row

Meaning

• The idiom "in a row" means that something is arranged or placed in a line, one after the other, without any gaps between them. It can also refer to people standing or sitting together in a straight line.

Usage

• The flowers were planted in a row along the garden path.
• We sat in a row on the bus, with our backpacks taking up all the space.
• The children stood in a row at attention during the ceremony.
• The cars were parked in a row at the stadium.
• The soldiers marched in a row to the battlefield.

Roots and History

The idiom "in a row" has been in use since the 16th century in English, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It originally meant "with or like rows of objects" and was used to describe things that were arranged in a line, such as flowers, people, or cars. Over time, the idiom expanded its meaning to include anything that was placed in a straight line without any gaps between them.

Synonyms in English

• In series
• One after the other
• In order
• In succession
• In sequence

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: En fila o en línea
• French: À la ligne
• German: An der Reihe
• Italian: In linea
• Japanese: 列線 (rei-sen)

Similar Idioms

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