row

row — noun

1. several people, animals, or objects arranged one next to the other to form a str

1.nounA2
Definition

several people, animals, or objects arranged one next to the other to form a straight line; the term also covers seats arranged in this way at a venue.

Example

Nila planted a row of sunflowers along the fence.

a row of + noun for things in a line

Tomás sat in the front row during the concert.

in the front/back row (seats)

Common collocations
  • a row of + noun
  • front row
  • back row
  • in a row
  • in rows
  • row of seats
  • row of houses
Synonyms
  • line

    more general term; a line can be curved or broken, while a row is typically straight and orderly

  • queue

    a line of people waiting, usually moving forward one at a time

  • column

    vertical orientation; rows and columns are perpendicular in grids

Grammar Patterns

a row of + noun

in a/the row

Usage Note

Can be preceded by specific position labels (front row, back row, top row, bottom row) to indicate location within a group.

Common Mistakes

There is a row of tree in the garden.
There is a row of trees in the garden.
row of is followed by a plural countable noun.

2. a continuous block of houses that share side walls with one another, forming a s

2.nounB1
Definition

a continuous block of houses that share side walls with one another, forming a single connected structure.

Example

Kofi lives in a Victorian row house near the park.

row house (attributive use)

The entire row of terraced houses was painted white.

Common collocations
  • row house
  • row of houses
  • terrace
  • terraced house
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

row house

in a row (of houses)

Usage Note

In British English, row houses are more commonly called terraced houses. The term row house is the standard American term for the same concept.

3. used as part of the official name of a street, historically narrower than a full

3.nounB1
Definition

used as part of the official name of a street, historically narrower than a full road, and still found in addresses throughout the UK and some Commonwealth countries.

Example

The office is located at 25 Baker Row, London.

number + name + Row — address format

Dahlia runs a small bakery on Church Row in her town.

Common collocations
  • [Name] Row
  • at [number] [Name] Row
Synonyms
  • street

    general term for a public road in a town

  • road

    broader term; roads can be larger or smaller than rows

  • lane

    narrow road, similar in scale to a row

Grammar Patterns

[Name] Row

Usage Note

Always capitalised as part of a proper street name. Historically indicates a narrower street or a lane, and is more common in older parts of British towns.

4. happening repeatedly with no interruption between occurrences; used after a numb

4.nounA2
Definition

happening repeatedly with no interruption between occurrences; used after a number or quantity to indicate consecutive events.

Example

Mayumi has won the competition three years in a row.

number + years in a row

It rained for five days in a row last week.

for + period + in a row

Common collocations
  • in a row
  • consecutive
  • straight
Synonyms
  • consecutively

    more formal; can be used in the same position as in a row

  • in succession

    slightly more formal; three days in succession

  • straight

    informal American English; 'three days straight'

Grammar Patterns

in a row

for [number] [days/weeks/years/times] in a row

Usage Note

This sense only appears in the fixed phrase in a row, always preceded by a number or quantity (three in a row, fifth time in a row). Never used as a standalone noun.

Common Mistakes

She read three books in row.
She read three books in a row.
the a is essential in the fixed phrase in a row.

5. the sport or activity of moving a boat across water using oars, either as a leis

5.nounB1
Definition

the sport or activity of moving a boat across water using oars, either as a leisure pursuit or in competitive racing.

Example

Élise goes rowing on the lake every Saturday morning.

go + rowing (activity)

Rafael and his brother went for a row before breakfast.

go for a row (single instance)

Common collocations
  • go rowing
  • go for a row
  • rowing club
  • rowing boat

Grammar Patterns

go for a row

do some rowing

Usage Note

When used as a countable noun (a row, a pleasant row), it refers to a single outing in a rowing boat. The uncountable form refers to the sport or activity in general.

6. a heated and noisy quarrel in which people shout at each other, often about a pe

6.nounB1
Definition

a heated and noisy quarrel in which people shout at each other, often about a personal or political matter.

Example

Nila had a row with her flatmate over the dirty dishes.

have a row with [someone] over [something]

The neighbours were having a row that kept everyone awake.

Common collocations
  • have a row
  • a row about
  • a row over
  • family row
  • political row
Synonyms
  • quarrel

    slightly more formal; less focus on noise level

  • argument

    neutral register; can be calm or heated

  • dispute

    formal; often about legal or official matters

Antonyms
  • agreement

    a state where parties share the same opinion

Grammar Patterns

have a row with someone

a row about/over something

Usage Note

Pronounced /raʊ/ (sounds like cow), distinct from the /roʊ/ pronunciation of row (line of things). This sense is common in British and Commonwealth English; American speakers more often use fight or quarrel.

7. a continuous, loud, and often irritating sound, such as traffic, machinery, or a

7.nounB2
Definition

a continuous, loud, and often irritating sound, such as traffic, machinery, or a crowd of people making noise.

Example

The children made such a row that Aoi could not study.

make a row (cause noise)

What is all that row coming from the construction site?

Common collocations
  • make a row
  • what a row
  • terrible row
Synonyms
  • racket

    equally informal; specifically unpleasant loud noise

  • din

    literary; a prolonged loud noise

  • noise

    neutral and general; not necessarily loud

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

make a row

what's all the row about?

Usage Note

Also pronounced /raʊ/ like the argument sense. This meaning is primarily used in British English and is less common in modern everyday speech than noise or racket.

8. a horizontal section of a table, spreadsheet, or database grid that contains rel

8.nounB1
Definition

a horizontal section of a table, spreadsheet, or database grid that contains related pieces of information about a single item or record.

Example

Mark added a new row to the spreadsheet for July sales.

add a row to a spreadsheet

Each row in the database represents one customer account.

Common collocations
  • row of data
  • add a row
  • delete a row
  • insert a row
  • table row
  • spreadsheet row
Synonyms
  • record

    database term for a single complete set of fields in a table

  • entry

    general term for one item in a list or table

Antonyms
  • column

    vertical arrangement in a table; opposite orientation to a row

Grammar Patterns

row of data

in a row

Usage Note

In spreadsheet and database contexts, a row is horizontal. The vertical counterpart is called a column. Always ensure you are operating on the correct orientation when using functions like insert row or delete row.

Common Mistakes

I added a new column for each student's name.' (when you mean horizontal)
I added a new row for each student's name.
rows go across (horizontal); columns go up and down (vertical).
Idioms

get/have (all) your ducks in a row

idiom

To make all necessary preparations so that everything is ready and organized.

Mia got her ducks in a row before the big presentation.

Have you got all your ducks in a row for the trip?

in a row

idiom

Happening one after another without interruption.

The team won five games in a row last season.

It snowed for three days in a row in Chicago.

row — verb

Word family

  • rower
    nounB1
  • rowing
    nounB1
  • rowboat
    nounB2
  • rowdy
    adjectiveB2
  • row house
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Row, line, queue, and column all describe ordered arrangements but differ in orientation and usage. A row is a straight side-by-side arrangement of people or objects, usually horizontal — you sit in a row at the cinema, or plant a row of flowers. A line is more general: it can be straight or curved, and can describe anything arranged in sequence, such as a line of people at a store or a line of text on a page. A queue is specifically a line of people waiting for something, moving forward one at a time — you join a queue at the post office. A column is the vertical counterpart of a row in a grid, like columns and rows in a spreadsheet. In everyday speech: 'Please stand in a straight line' (general); 'Join the queue at the counter' (waiting); 'She sat in the front row' (seats); 'The table has three columns' (vertical grid).

row ↗linequeue ↗column ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a row of
  • in a row
  • have a row
  • row a boat
  • row house
  • front row
  • back row
  • row of seats
  • row of houses
  • row of data

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word row has three distinct origins that have converged in modern English. The 'line' meaning (Old English rāw, from Proto-Germanic raiwa-) is related to Dutch rij and German Reihe, all meaning a line or sequence. The 'move with oars' meaning comes from a separate Old English verb rōwan, from Proto-Germanic rōan, with relatives in Dutch roeien and German rudern. A third origin gives the /raʊ/ pronunciation for both the 'argument' and 'noise' meanings — this sense first appeared in the mid‑1700s and is of uncertain origin, possibly from the earlier noun 'rou' meaning 'noise, disturbance', or related to the verb 'rout' (to bellow).