Complete Definition of "clue"

English

Etymology
Variant of clew "a ball of thread or yarn," with reference to the one Theseus used as a guide out of the labyrinth.

Pronunciation

Noun
en-noun

  1. Any information that may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
  2. An object or any kind of marking that may be used as evidence.

Usage notes
Often used ironically in everyday usage in the US, exaggerating the hiddenness of the information consistituting the clue, and thereby belittling the alertness and intelligence of the person without the information.

Synonyms
(information that may lead one to a certain point or conclusion): hint, indication, suggestion
(object or marking that may be used as evidence):

Derived terms
w:Cluedo|Cluedo
clueless
clue stick
cluey
not have a clue

Translations
trans-top|information that may lead one to a certain point or conclusion
Danish: spor n, holdepunkt n, fingerpeg n, nøgle c
Finnish: johtolanka, vihje
French: indice f
German: Anhaltspunkt m, Hinweis m
Italian: indizio m, pista f
Hebrew: ר�� (remez) m
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|object or marking that may be used in evidence
Danish: spor n
Finnish: johtolanka, näyttö, todiste
German: Indiz n
trans-mid
trans-bottom

checktrans
trans-top|translations to be checked
ttbc|Ido: guid-signo; indico; indikajo
ttbc|Korean: ��리 (silmari)
ttbc|Spanish: pista#Spanish|pista f, indicio m
trans-bottom

See also
evidence
red herring

Verb
en-verb|clu|es

  1. Provide with a clue. usually with "in" or "up".
  2. Provide someone with important information they lack.

#: Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.

Derived terms
clued-in
clued-up

fr:clue
io:clue
ru:clue
fi:clue
sv:clue
ta:clue
te:clue
vi:clue
zh:clue

Revision and Credits for"clue"
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