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clue

SayKLOOUS/klu//kluː/

Pluralclues

Verbclues, cluing, clued

7 meanings of clue

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A piece of information that helps you find an answer or understand something.

    Like an arrow pointing the way to the right answer.

    The teacher gave us a clue to help us solve the math problem.

    Her big smile was a clue that she liked the gift.

    Similarhint, indication, sign, pointer, lead

  2. 2
    nouncountable
    An object or sign that helps prove what happened or who did something.

    Like a puzzle piece that helps you see the whole picture.

    The police found a clue near the broken window.

    Muddy footprints were the only clue the dog left behind.

    Similarlead, trace, sign, indication

  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A general idea or understanding of what is happening or how something works.

    He doesn't have a clue how to fix the car.

    I had no clue that the store closed so early.

    Similaridea, inkling, notion

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To give someone information they did not have. Often used as "clue in."

    Can you clue me in on the homework I missed?

    Nobody clued the new neighbor in, so she put her trash out on the wrong day.

    Similarinform, tell, brief, enlighten

    Note
  5. 5
    verbtransitive
    To give someone a hint that helps them find the answer.

    I will clue you with one more hint if you get stuck.

    The game host clued the players with a short rhyme.

    Note
  6. 6
    verb
    Alternative form of clew. It means the same thing and is just spelled differently.

    The captain told the crew to clue up the sails.

    She showed me how to clue the yarn into a ball.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 7
    nounarchaic
    A ball of thread used to find the way out of a maze, or anything that shows the way.

    Like a trail of breadcrumbs that leads you back the way you came.

    The hero unrolled the clue behind him as he walked into the maze.

    she had even had in the past a small smug conviction that in the domestic labyrinth she always kept the clue.
    1897, Henry James, What Maisie KnewHere, clue means a thread that guides you through a maze, or anything showing the way.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

"Clue" is another spelling of "clew," which meant a ball of thread. In an old myth, Theseus used such a ball of thread to find his way out of a maze.