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Webster 1913 Edition

Clue

{

Clew

(klū)
,

Clue

, }
Noun.
[OE.
clewe
,
clowe
,
clue
, AS.
cleowen
,
cliwen
,
clywe
ball of thread; akin to D.
kluwen
, OHG.
chliwa
,
chliuwa
, G. dim.
kleuel
,
knäuel
, and perch. to L.
gluma
hull, husk, Skr.
glaus
sort of ball or tumor. Perch. akin to E.
claw
. √26. Cf.
Knawel
.]
1.
A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
Untwisting his deceitful
clew
.
Spenser.
2.
That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the solution of a mystery.
The
clew
, without which it was perilous to enter the vast and intricate maze of countinental politics, was in his hands.
Macaulay.
3.
(Naut.)
(a.)
A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
(b.)
A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail.
(c.)
A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended.
Clew garnet
(Naut.)
,
one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards.
–
Clew line
(Naut.)
,
a rope by which a clew of one of the smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or royal, is run up to its yard.
–
Clew-line block
(Naut.)
,
The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of
Block
.

Clue

(klū)
,
Noun.
[See
Clew
,
Noun.
]
A ball of thread; a thread or other means of guidance. Same as
Clew
.
You have wound a goodly
clue
.
Shakespeare
This
clue
once found unravels all the rest.
Pope.
Serve as
clues
to guide us into further knowledge.
Locke.

Webster 1828 Edition

Clue

CLUE.

[See Clew.]

Definition 2025

clue

clue

English

Noun

clue ‎(plural clues)

  1. (now rare) A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
    • 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
      she had even had in the past a small smug conviction that in the domestic labyrinth she always kept the clue.
  2. Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
  3. An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
  4. (slang) Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Verb

clue ‎(third-person singular simple present clues, present participle cluing or clueing, simple past and past participle clued)

  1. To provide with a clue.
    The crossword compiler wasn't sure how to clue the word "should".
  2. To provide someone with information which he or she lacks (often used with "in" or "up").
    Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.

Derived terms

Translations

Latin

Verb

cluē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of clueō

Etymology

Variant of clew ‎(“a ball of thread or yarn”), from Middle English clewe, from Old English clēowen, clīewen ‎(“sphere, ball, skein; ball of thread or yarn; mass, group”), from Proto-Germanic *kliuwīną, *klewô ‎(“ball, bale”), from Proto-Indo-European *glew- ‎(“to amass, conglomerate; clump, ball, bale”). Sense evolution with reference to the one which the mythical Theseus used to guide him out of the Minotaur's labyrinth. More at clew.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kluː/
  • Rhymes: -uː
  • Homophone: clew

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