clue
Americannoun
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anything that serves to guide or direct in the solution of a problem, mystery, etc..
It is up to Aurora to piece together the clues and solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
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a phrase or word provided as a hint to help find an answer or response in a crossword puzzle, on a game show, etc..
The celebrity editor's name was featured as a clue on the long-running quiz show.
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an insight into or knowledge about something.
As a kid from the suburbs, Patrick has lived a sheltered life and doesn't have a clue how to survive on his own.
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clew.
verb (used with object)
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to direct or point out by a clue.
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to help find (an answer in a puzzle or quiz) by providing a clue.
The four-letter “nose” was clued as “characteristic smell of wine.”
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clew.
verb phrase
noun
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something that helps to solve a problem or unravel a mystery
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to be completely baffled
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to be completely ignorant or incompetent
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verb
noun
Etymology
Origin of clue
First recorded in 1350–1400; variant spelling of clew
Explanation
A clue is a piece of evidence that helps solve a problem, or it's a slight hint. When you’re in the dark about the surprise party your friends are planning, they'll say, “She doesn’t have a clue!” When you first join the police force, you’re mostly just walking the beat. But when you’re promoted to detective, your job is to look for that big clue that will help you solve the case. The original Middle English word was clew, which meant “a ball of thread.” If you were trapped in a labyrinth, you could follow the clew to help find your way out.
Vocabulary lists containing clue
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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"Mysteries of the Ancient Past"
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"The Clever Old Woman" and "Argument"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The discovery provides researchers with an important new clue about the hidden magnetic architecture of the Milky Way and could help scientists better understand how galaxies evolve over time.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
Wilson was in the dark about how his reply had landed in the boardroom, and Morfitt didn’t immediately clue him in.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Another clue is that Buffett has invested in a retail real estate play before.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
What’s been unusual about this absence is that no one seems to have a clue what’s going on.
From Slate • May 16, 2026
There was no sign of the backpack or the case, though there was one unmistakable clue that hadn’t been washed away by the water.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
