clue
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Category:English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European#CLUECategory:English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *glew-#CLUEVariant of clew (“a ball of thread or yarn”), from Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#CLUECategory:English terms derived from Middle English#CLUE clew, clewe, clowe, clue, clwe, clyw, clywe, from Old EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Old English#CLUECategory:English terms derived from Old English#CLUE clēowen, clīewen, clīowen, clīwen, clȳwe, clȳwen (“ball, sphere; skein”), from Proto-West GermanicCategory:English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic#CLUECategory:English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic#CLUE *kliuwīn (“ball, clump”), from Proto-GermanicCategory:English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic#CLUECategory:English terms derived from Proto-Germanic#CLUE *kliuwīną, *klewô (“bale, ball, clump, mass”), from Proto-Indo-EuropeanCategory:English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European#CLUECategory:English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European#CLUE *glew- (“to ball up, clump together; lump, swelling”). 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/Category:English 1-syllable words#CLUECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CLUE
Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#CLUEAudio (General Australian): (file) - (obsolete) IPA(key): /kljuː/[1]Category:English 1-syllable words#CLUECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CLUE
- Rhymes: -uːCategory:Rhymes:English/uː#CLUECategory:Rhymes:English/uː/1 syllable#CLUE
- Homophones: clew, clou, CLUCategory:English terms with homophones#CLUE
Noun
clue (plural clues)Category:English lemmas#CLUECategory:English nouns#CLUECategory:English countable nouns#CLUECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#CLUECategory:Pages with entries#CLUECategory:Pages with 3 entries#CLUE
- (now rareCategory:English terms with rare senses#CLUE) 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.Category:English terms with quotations#CLUE
- Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
- Give me a clue because the question is too vague.Category:English terms with usage examples#CLUE
- 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 conkoutsCategory:English terms with quotations#CLUE
- 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#CLUE
- 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#CLUE
- (crosswordingCategory:en:Crosswording#CLUE) The text that indicates an answer in a crossword puzzle.
Synonyms
- (information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion): hint, indication, suggestion
- (object or indication which may be used as evidence): signature
- (understanding): idea
Derived terms
Translations
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
See also
Verb
clue (third-person singular simple present clues, present participle cluing or clueing, simple past and past participle clued)Category:English lemmas#CLUECategory:English verbs#CLUECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#CLUECategory:Pages with entries#CLUECategory:Pages with 3 entries#CLUE
- To provide with a clue.
- The crossword compiler wasn't sure how to clue the word "should".Category:English terms with usage examples#CLUE
- To provide someone with information which they lack (often used with "in" or "up").
- Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.Category:English terms with usage examples#CLUE
- 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.Category:English terms with quotations#CLUE
- 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.Category:English terms with quotations#CLUE
Derived terms
Translations
References
- ↑ Walker, John (1791), “Clew”, in A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: G. G. J. and J. Robinſon […] and T. Cadell, →OCLC, page 167.
Anagrams
Latin
Verb
cluēCategory:Latin non-lemma forms#CLUECategory:Latin verb forms#CLUECategory:Latin entries with incorrect language header#CLUECategory:Pages with entries#CLUECategory:Pages with 3 entries#CLUE
Middle English
Noun
clueCategory:Middle English alternative forms#CLUECategory:Middle English entries with incorrect language header#CLUECategory:Pages with entries#CLUECategory:Pages with 3 entries#CLUE
- alternative form of clewe