bread line

Or bread·line

[bred-lahyn]

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bread line¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

He’s amiable but outraged, delivering a blistering critique of the country’s high unemployment rate, bread lines and uneven wealth distribution.

From Los Angeles Times

Scuffles broke out among people waiting in bread lines.

From Literature

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

From Seattle Times

Long bread lines recently plagued the country, where around two thirds of the population of 6 million, including 1 million Syrian refugees, now lives in poverty.

From Seattle Times

Like a color remake of Depression-era imagery: the factory entrance, the bread line.

From New York Times