clue

clue
    n 1: a slight indication [syn: {hint}, {clue}]
    2: evidence that helps to solve a problem [syn: {clue}, {clew},
       {cue}]
    v 1: roll into a ball [syn: {clue}, {clew}]
    

Clue \Clue\ (kl[=u]), n. [See {Clew}, n.]
   A ball of thread; a thread or other means of guidance. Same
   as {Clew}.
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         You have wound a goodly clue.            --Shak.
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         This clue once found unravels all the rest. --Pope.
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         Serve as clues to guide us into further knowledge.
                                                  --Locke.
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Clew \Clew\ (kl[=u]), Clue \Clue\, n. [OE. clewe, clowe, clue,
   AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen,
   OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, kn[aum]uel, and perch.
   to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor.
   Perch. akin to E. claw. [root]26. Cf. {Knawel}.]
   1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
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            Untwisting his deceitful clew.        --Spenser.
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   2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful
      or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the
      solution of a mystery.
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            The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the
            vast and intricate maze of countinental politics,
            was in his hands.                     --Macaulay.
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   3. (Naut.)
      (a.) A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner
           of a fore-and-aft sail.
      (b.) A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail.
      (c.) A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock
           is suspended.
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   {Clew garnet} (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of
      the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the
      lower yards.

   {Clew line} (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the
      smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or
      royal, is run up to its yard.

   {Clew-line block} (Naut.), The block through which a clew
      line reeves. See Illust. of {Block}.
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92 Moby Thesaurus words for "clue":
      acquaint, advice, advise, alerting, answer, apprise,
      basis for belief, body of evidence, broad hint, catchword, caution,
      chain of evidence, cue, cue word, data, datum, documentation,
      evidence, exhibit, fact, facts, fill in, gentle hint, gesture,
      glimmer, glimmering, grounds, grounds for belief, hint, hot lead,
      implication, imply, index, indicate, indication, indicator, inform,
      information, inkling, innuendo, insinuation, intimate, intimation,
      item of evidence, key, key word, kick, lead, look, manifestation,
      mark, material grounds, monition, muniments, mute witness, nod,
      notify, notion, nudge, office, passing word, piece of evidence,
      pointer, post, premises, prompt, proof, reason to believe,
      relevant fact, scent, sign, signal, spoor, steer, suggest,
      suggestion, suspicion, symptom, tell, telltale, tip, tip-off,
      token, trace, track, vestige, warn, warning, whiff, whisper, wind,
      wink