clue
clue
Pronunciation
clue: /kluː/
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral approximant
/uː/ - close back rounded long vowel
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: clue
Plural: clues
Verb:
Base form: clue
Third-person singular present: clues
Present participle: cluing
Past tense: clued
Past participle: clued
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A piece of information or an object that helps to solve a mystery, puzzle, or problem.
Synonyms: hint, indicator, sign, lead, pointer
Antonyms: obfuscation, red herring (in some contexts), distraction
Definition 2: (Informal, often in the negative) Any understanding or awareness of something.
Synonyms: idea, notion, grasp, inkling
Antonyms: ignorance, cluelessness, bewilderment
Verb
Definition 1: To provide someone with information that helps them to understand or solve something. (Often used in the phrase "clue in" or "clue up")
Synonyms: inform, enlighten, apprise, brief, update
Antonyms: confuse, mislead, misinform, obscure
Examples of Use
Books: "Sherlock Holmes studied the muddy boot print, a crucial clue in the baffling case of the speckled band." (Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1892)
Newspapers: "Investigators are still searching for a clue that could lead them to the missing hiker in the vast national park." (Reuters)
Online Publications: "New research offers a significant clue into the origins of Parkinson's disease, pointing to a specific genetic marker." (Scientific American)
Film: In the movie Knives Out, Detective Benoit Blanc meticulously examines seemingly insignificant details, each one a potential clue to the murder. (Rian Johnson, 2019)
Television: "On Jeopardy!, contestants are given a clue in the form of an answer and must phrase their response as a question." (CBS Television Distribution, ongoing)
Video Games: "Players must collect various items and solve environmental puzzles to find the next clue in the intricate mystery of Myst." (Cyan Worlds, 1993)
General Public Discourse: "I don't have a clue what you're talking about; could you explain it more simply?"
General Public Discourse (Verb): "Could you clue me in on what happened at the meeting? I missed the first half."
10 Quotes Using Clue
"My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing." (Jessica Alba)
"In some sense man is a microcosm of the universe; therefore what man is, is a clue to the universe." (David Bohm)
"I've seen zero evidence of any nation on Earth other than Mexico even remotely having the slightest clue what Mexican food is about or even come close to reproducing it." (Anthony Bourdain)
"You wouldn't know a clue if it danced in front of you with a T-Shirt that read 'I'm a clue.'" (Eoin Colfer)
"Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book, and no clue as to where all the important bits are supposed to go." (Nick Hornby)
"Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense." (Robert Greene)
"None of us is responsible for the complexion of his skin. This fact of nature offers no clue to the character or quality of the person underneath." (Marian Anderson)
"My real bottom-line hypothesis is that nobody has a sweet clue what they're doing. Therefore you better be trying stuff at an insanely rapid pace." (Tom Peters)
"We are living in a computer-programmed reality, and the only clue we have to it is when some variable is changed, and some alteration in reality occurs." (Philip K. Dick)
"I guess you never have any clue how many people are in your corner until something tough happens." (Emma McKeon)
Etymology
The word "clue" has a really interesting journey! It actually comes from an old word that meant a ball of thread or yarn.
Imagine the story of Theseus and the Minotaur in the labyrinth. Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of thread to help him find his way out. This "ball of thread" was his guide, his key to escaping the maze.
So, the original meaning of "clue" (or rather, its ancestor, which was spelled "clew" or "clue") was literally a ball of thread, specifically one used as a guide through a maze or labyrinth.
Over time, this idea of a guiding thread evolved. If a thread could guide you through a physical maze, then a piece of information could guide you through a difficult situation or mystery.
The first known use of "clue" in the sense of "a piece of evidence or information that helps solve a problem or mystery" appeared in the late 17th century. It gradually took on the more abstract meaning we use today, moving from a literal ball of yarn to any kind of hint or guide.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Clue
Clue in/Clue up: To inform or make someone aware of something.
Not have a clue: To be completely ignorant or unaware of something.
Give someone a clue: To provide a hint or piece of information.
Without a clue: Lacking any understanding or knowledge.
The first clue: The initial piece of information that helps solve a mystery.
Pick up a clue: To notice or discover a hint.
Piece together the clues: To assemble various pieces of information to form a complete picture.
Follow a clue: To pursue a lead or hint in an investigation.
A vital clue: A crucial or essential piece of information.
To get a clue: To finally understand or become aware of something obvious (often used as an imperative, e.g., "Get a clue!").
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of clue from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
