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bread line

American  
[bred-lahyn] / ˈbrɛdˌlaɪn /
Or breadline

noun

  1. a group of needy persons waiting in line for free food to be distributed by a government agency or charitable organization.


Etymology

Origin of bread line

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

My pal Tan Vinh tells me the bread line at Q Bakery is a sight to see on weekends.

From Seattle Times Mar. 15, 2023

Her son was already on the bread line but the cost of living crisis has plunged him into poverty, she said.

From BBC Apr. 16, 2022

On a cold, wet afternoon this week, the mood in the bread line was bleak.

From New York Times Dec. 15, 2021

His first entrée into politics comes when he’s plucked from a bread line and offered $2 to fraudulently vote for the incumbent mayor.

From Slate Mar. 30, 2021

Driving one night in a comfortable cab he was suddenly confronted by the long drawn out misery of the midnight bread line.

From The Unpopular Review, Volume II Number 3 by Various

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