clew

C2 Topic:Register & Style

US /kluː/ UK /kluː/ See IPA manual

Homophones

Freq #121610

Meanings

1

noun
an archaic or literary spelling of clue: a fact or sign that helps solve a problem or find something

The torn envelope provided the detective with a clew to the sender's identity.
2

noun
a ball of thread, yarn, or cord

She wound the loose wool into a neat clew before putting it away.
3

noun
a lower corner of a sail, or the loop at that corner to which a sheet is attached

The sailor secured the sheet to the clew of the mainsail.
4

verb
to haul the lower corners of a sail upward or downward by means of ropes

The crew clewed up the sail as the squall approached.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an archaic or literary... clue hint lead indication

2 noun · a ball of thread, yarn, or... ball of yarnskein

3 noun · a lower corner of a sail,... sail cornercringle

4 verb · to haul the lower corners... haul furl

Word family

Derived forms clewedclewingunclew

Related forms clue yarn skeincringleclewline

Etymology

From Middle English clewe, from Old English cliewen ("ball or skein"), ultimately from a Proto-Germanic word for a ball or mass. A thread used to guide someone through a maze gave rise to the figurative sense "guide or piece of evidence"; the spelling clue later became standard for that sense, while clew remained in literary and nautical use.

Topics

Register & Style

External links

# clew

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /kluː/
**IPA (UK):** /kluː/
**Frequency rank:** 121610

## Meanings
1. an archaic or literary spelling of clue: a fact or sign that helps solve a problem or find something
2. a ball of thread, yarn, or cord
3. a lower corner of a sail, or the loop at that corner to which a sheet is attached
4. to haul the lower corners of a sail upward or downward by means of ropes

## Examples
- The torn envelope provided the detective with a clew to the sender's identity.
- She wound the loose wool into a neat clew before putting it away.
- The sailor secured the sheet to the clew of the mainsail.
- The crew clewed up the sail as the squall approached.

## Synonyms
- clue
- hint
- lead
- ball of yarn
- sail corner

## Derived Forms
- clewed
- clewing
- unclew

## Related Forms
- clue
- yarn
- skein
- cringle
- clewline

## Etymology
From Middle English clewe, from Old English cliewen ("ball or skein"), ultimately from a Proto-Germanic word for a ball or mass. A thread used to guide someone through a maze gave rise to the figurative sense "guide or piece of evidence"; the spelling clue later became standard for that sense, while clew remained in literary and nautical use.

## Topics
- Register & Style

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