take a number
The idiom "take a number" is commonly used to indicate that someone must wait their turn, often implying a potentially long wait.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2Customer Service
(literal)To receive a numbered ticket that shows your place in a queue.
Example
- At the deli counter, you need to take a number and wait for it to be called.
B2General
(figurative)To be told to wait one's turn, often implying a long wait or that others are also waiting.
Example
- If you want to speak with the manager, you'll have to take a number.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "take a number":
take the counthave someone's numbertake a seatnumbers gameunknown numbertake it