English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

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 [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

clue (plural clues)

( 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. Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion. An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence. ( slang ) Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)

Synonyms [ edit ]

( 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 [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]

object or marking that may be used in evidence Bulgarian: ули́ка (bg) f ( ulíka )

Chinese: Mandarin: 證據 (zh) 证据 (zh) ( zhèngjǜ )

Danish: spor n

Esperanto: indico (eo)

Finnish: johtolanka näyttö (fi) todiste (fi)

French: preuve (fr) f

German: Indiz (de) n

Italian: prova (it) f

Japanese: 手掛かり ( てがかり, tegakari ) Korean: 실마리 (ko) ( silmari )

Latin: indicium n

Norwegian: Bokmål: ledetråd m

Portuguese: pista (pt) f , indício (pt) m

, Russian: ули́ка (ru) f ( ulíka )

Serbo-Croatian: Roman: indicija (sh) f

Spanish: indicio (es) m

Swedish: ledtråd (sv) c

Thai: เบาะแส (th) ( bɔ̀-sɛ̌ɛ )

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked Ido : guid-signo; indico; indikajo

See also [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ]

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

To provide with a clue. The crossword compiler wasn't sure how to clue the word "should". 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 [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]

to provide with a clue Dutch: een tip geven

References [ edit ]

^ 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. Clew ” in John Walker , London: Sold by G. G. J. and, Paternoſter Row; and T., in the Strand, 1791,, page 145.

Anagrams [ edit ]

Latin [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ]

cluē

Middle English [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

clue