bread line
Depression-era queue
A bread line is a queue of people waiting to receive free food, especially bread, from a charitable organization or government program during times of economic hardship.
The term became especially associated with the Great Depression, when unemployment left millions dependent on such handouts.
The soup kitchen's bread line stretched around the block.
Today the phrase often appears figuratively to suggest widespread poverty or economic collapse: If this policy continues, we'll all be standing in bread lines.
Remaining in expectation
- crowdLarge public gathering
- rationFixed allotted amount
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- allocationDistribution of shares
handout · food bank · shuffle · patience · dawn · block · sidewalk · orderly
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- famineSevere food shortage
- food insecurityUncertain access to adequate meals
- malnutritionDisease from dietary inadequacy
- starvingSuffering extreme hunger
undernourished · empty stomach · gaunt · sustenance · nourishment · emaciated · ravenous · hungry
1930s global economic crisis
- soup kitchenFacility feeding the poor
- HoovervilleDepression-era squatter camp
- unemploymentBeing without paid work
- New DealDepression-era reform agenda
Dust Bowl · stock market crash · FDR · WPA · bank run · Black Tuesday · foreclosure · eviction
Easing of distress
- charityVoluntary aid for others
- donationVoluntary charitable gift
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- nonprofitOrganization serving public good
humanitarian · benefactor · welfare office · food assistance · emergency aid · social services · mutual aid · alms
Without a dwelling
- impoverishedExtremely lacking in money
- destituteUtterly without means
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- welfareComfort and prosperity
indigent · disadvantaged · underprivileged · penury · squalor · slums · low-income · struggle
waiting
Remaining in expectation
- crowdLarge public gathering
- rationFixed allotted amount
- distributionAllocation across recipients
allocation · handout · food bank · shuffle · patience · dawn · block · sidewalk · orderly · turn
starvation
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- famineSevere food shortage
- food insecurityUncertain access to adequate meals
- malnutritionDisease from dietary inadequacy
starving · undernourished · empty stomach · gaunt · sustenance · nourishment · emaciated · ravenous · hungry · pangs
Great Depression
1930s global economic crisis
- soup kitchenFacility feeding the poor
- HoovervilleDepression-era squatter camp
- unemploymentBeing without paid work
New Deal · Dust Bowl · stock market crash · FDR · WPA · bank run · Black Tuesday · foreclosure · eviction · shantytown
relief
Easing of distress
nonprofit · humanitarian · benefactor · welfare office · food assistance · emergency aid · social services · mutual aid · alms · dole
homeless
Without a dwelling
- impoverishedExtremely lacking in money
- destituteUtterly without means
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
welfare · indigent · disadvantaged · underprivileged · penury · squalor · slums · low-income · struggle · inequality
- soup kitchensoup kitchen, free meals, ladles, volunteers, food donations
- Depression EraGreat Depression, Hooverville, breadline, dust storms, soup kitchen
- faminestarvation, mass starvation, hunger, famine victims, crop failure
- welfarewelfare, welfare reform, welfare system, SNAP benefits, public assistance
- povertypoor, poverty rate, impoverished, generational poverty, poverty trap
- charitable givingcharitable gift, charitable gifts, donation, donations, contribution
bread lineprosperity
Good fortune, success
affluence · wealth · abundance · plenty · economic security
bread linefine dining
Elegant restaurant experience
banquet · feast · grocery store · farmer's market · supermarket
bread linecountry club
Private recreational membership facility
VIP lounge · high society · gala · upper crust · privileged class
bread, line, breads, breaded, breading, breadwinner, lines, lined, liner