DictionaryAI

cue

KYOO/ˈkjuː/

Pluralcues

Verbcues, cueing, cued

13 meanings of cue

Practice

  1. 1
    cluenouncountable
    A small hint that points you toward something.

    Like a small clue that helps you guess the answer.

    Her tired voice was a cue that she needed rest.

    Her small smile was the only cue that she liked the gift.

    UsagePeople read or miss social cues.

    Similarhint, sign, signal, indication, clue

    Note
  2. 2
    signal to actnouncountable
    A sign or action that tells someone it is time to do or say something.

    Like a green traffic light telling cars to go.

    That bell is your cue to line up at the door.

    When the lights dim, take it as your cue to stop talking.

    UsageSay your cue to go. A queue is a line, a different word.

    Similarsignal, sign, prompt

  3. 3
    pool sticknouncountable
    A long, thin stick used to hit the balls in pool or snooker.

    Like a long stick you push to send a ball rolling.

    He chalked his cue before taking the shot.

    She lined up the white ball with the tip of her cue.

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To cause something to start or happen.

    Like one falling domino that knocks over the next.

    The smell of rain cued memories of her childhood.

    A single word can cue a flood of emotion.

    UsageIn stories, cue the tears can jokingly mean that people then started crying.

    Similartrigger, prompt, spark, provoke

    Note
  5. 5
    nouncountable
    The last words of one actor's lines, or another signal, that tell an actor when to speak or do something.

    Like a runner waiting for the starting gun before they move.

    He missed his cue and walked on stage too late.

    When she says "goodbye," that is your cue to walk on stage.

    UsageSay miss your cue, or right on cue.

    Note
  6. 6
    start markernouncountable
    A marker or signal that starts something, like the beginning of a sound recording.

    Like a bookmark that tells the machine where to begin.

    The engineer set a cue at the start of the song.

    Each time I hit the button, the track jumps back to the cue.

    Similarmarker

    Note
  7. 7
    verbtransitive
    To give someone a sign that it is their turn to do or say something.

    Like waving at a friend to tell them to come over.

    The teacher cued the children to start singing.

    She raised her hand to cue the band.

    UsageThe past form is cued.

    Similarsignal, prompt

    Note

Practice

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Origins

Meaning 11

It comes from Middle English cu, a word used for half a farthing (a very small coin). That use came from q, a short way of writing the Latin word quadrans, which means a quarter.

Meanings 1–2, 4–7, 10

Probably from an earlier form 'qu', short for Latin quando, meaning "when." It was written on an actor's script to show when they should begin.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

Meanings 3, 8–9

A variant of 'queue', from French queue, meaning "tail."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts