clue

¹clue

noun \ˈklü\

Definition of CLUE

1

: something that guides through an intricate procedure or maze of difficulties; specifically : a piece of evidence that leads one toward the solution of a problem

2

: idea, notion <had no clue what he meant>

Examples of CLUE

1. The book gives the reader plenty of clues to solve the mystery.
2. Science gives us clues about the origin of the universe.
3. “Guess who I met today.” “Can you give me a clue?”
4. It gives a clue as to how to proceed.

Origin of CLUE

alteration of clew

First Known Use: 1596

Related to CLUE

Synonyms

hint, cue, indication, inkling, intimation, lead, suggestion

Related Words

breath, flicker, glimmer, glimpse, mention, scent, whiff, wind; hunch, idea, inspiration, notion; allusion, implication, inference, innuendo, insinuation; denotation, evidence, guidepost, key, mark, overtone, pointer, sign, signal, telltale, token; assistance, nod, prompt, tip, tip-off, wink; feeling, foreboding, intuition, premonition, presentiment, suspicion; augury, foreshadower, foretaste, harbinger, omen, portent, prefigurement, presage, symptom

Near Antonyms

answer, solution

Rhymes with CLUE

blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, coo, coup, crew, cue, dew, do, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hew, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, through, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo

²clue

transitive verb

cluedclue·ing or clu·ing

Definition of CLUE

1

: to provide with a clue

2

: to give reliable information to <he clued me in on how it happened>

First Known Use of CLUE

1934