Wiktionary

clue

See also: Clue

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Variant of clew (“a ball of thread or yarn”), from Middle English clewe, from Old English clīewen (“ball”), from Proto-West Germanic *kliuwīn, 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

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Noun

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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.
    Give me a clue because the question is too vague.
    • 1965, Popular Mechanics, volume 123, number 3, page 140:
      Black tracks on the magneto, a hairline crack in the flywheel casing, pitted points or a spitless exhaust — all are clues to potential conkouts
  3. An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
    The detectives were looking for some clues at the scene of the crime.
  4. Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)
    I had little clue that I was being carefully monitored by the CCTV.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Compound words and expressions

Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

See also

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Verb

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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 they lack (often used with "in" or "up").
    Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.
    • 2014, John Macgregor, The Antibiography of Ian Mcnulty:
      I stared into my mind for some image to clue me what to say but I saw only blackness there.
  3. Alternative form of clew
    • 1864, John McNeill Boyd, A Manual for Naval Cadets, page 444:
      If the lee-side of the sail were clued up, the risk would be small compared with what it would be were the sheet nearly aft and the whole sail full of wind on starting the tack.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “Clew” in John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinſon, Paternoſter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1791, →OCLC, page 145.

Anagrams

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Latin

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Verb

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cluē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of clueō

Middle English

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Noun

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clue

  1. Alternative form of clewe
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