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British

cue

¹

[ kyoo ]

/ kyu /

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See synonyms for: cue / cued / cues / cuing on Thesaurus.com

noun

anything said or done, on or off stage, that is followed by a specific line or action: An off-stage door slam was his cue to enter.

anything that excites to action; stimulus.

a hint; intimation; guiding suggestion.

the part a person is to play; a prescribed or necessary course of action.

a sensory signal used to identify experiences, facilitate memory, or organize responses.

Archaic. frame of mind; mood.

verb (used with object), cued, cu·ing.

to provide with a cue or indication; give a cue to; prompt: Will you cue me on my lines?

to insert, or direct to come in, in a specific place in a musical or dramatic performance (usually followed by in or into): to cue in a lighting effect.

to search for and reach (a specific track on a recording) (sometimes followed by up).

OTHER WORDS FOR cue

1 signal.

3 sign, hint, key, tip, inkling.

See synonyms for cue on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR CUE

What Is The Difference Between "Cue" And "Queue"?

Homophones are words that sound the same but mean different things (and are often times spelled differently too). "Queue" and "cue" are examples of homophones. Do you know what they both mean?

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QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about cue

cue (someone) in, Informal. to inform; give instructions, information, news, etc., to: Cue him in on the plans for the dance.

miss a cue,

to fail to respond to a cue.
Informal. to miss the point: You could tell by his expression that he had missed a cue.

Origin of cue

¹

First recorded in 1545–55; spelled name of the letter q as an abbreviation (found in acting scripts) of Latin quandō “when”

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH cue

cue , queue

Words nearby cue

cudgerie, Cudjo, Cudlipp, cudweed, Cudworth, cue, cue ball, cue bid, cue card, cued speech, cue in

Other definitions for cue (2 of 3)

cue²

[ kyoo ]

/ kyu /

noun

a long, tapering rod, tipped with a soft leather pad, used to strike the ball in billiards, pool, etc.

a long, usually wooden stick with a concave head, used to propel the disks in shuffleboard.

a queue or braid of hair worn behind the head.

a queue or file, as of persons awaiting their turn.

verb (used with object), cued, cu·ing.

to tie into a queue.

to strike with a cue.

Origin of cue

²

First recorded in 1740–50; from French queue “tail,” Old French cöe, coue, from Latin cōda, popular form of cauda “tail”; cf. coward, queue

Other definitions for cue (3 of 3)

cue³

[ kyoo ]

/ kyu /

noun

the letter Q, q.

Origin of cue

³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English cu; conventional adaptation in spelling of the letter name

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT CUE

What does cue mean?

A cue is any planned action that triggers an actor’s response or line of dialogue in performance art, as in I’m so embarrassed that I missed my cue to walk on stage!

A cue is more generally something that triggers an action, as in The teacher handing out the test was our cue to put our books away.

A cue can also be a hint, I should have seen my mother’s angry face as my cue to apologize.

To cue means to provide a hint or prompt for an action, as in The actors cued each other during rehearsal so they could memorize all the cues.

To cue can also mean to insert or direct to come in, as in Cue the music, and raise the curtain!

Example: Juan came in on cue but flubbed his line, so we had to reshoot the scene.

Where does cue come from?

The first records of the term cue come from around 1545. It is the spelled name of the abbreviation q for the Latin quandō, meaning “when.” The abbreviation was used in acting scripts.

Cue is mostly used as a noun, but there are several phrases that use cue uniquely. For example, if you are on cue, you’re performing at the correct time when prompted by a cue. And if you cue in your little sister about your parents’ feelings about shouting, you’re informing her about something you and your parents already know. If your sister doesn’t understand what you’re trying to tell her, you can say she has missed a cue.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for cue?

What are some words that share a root or word element with cue?

What are some words that often get used in discussing cue?

What are some words cue may be commonly confused with?

queue

How is cue used in real life?

Cue is often used in performance art or as an indirect reference to performing.

TMRW IS CHRISTMAS but it doesnt really feel like it AND THATS OK BC IT STILL IS but i need to find some holiday cheer QUICK CUE THE MUSIC

— connor (@connorfranta) December 24, 2015

Shot a video outside today. A nice, quiet, warm day.

As soon as I turned the mic on, cue the trucks, helicopters, jackhammers, and loud noises

Definitely just set a record for longest blooper reel of all time 😭

— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) April 13, 2018

chalking my spraying water
pool cue from the iron
🤝
No idea what it does but
makes me feel powerful

— Rhys James (@rhysjamesy) February 22, 2020

Try using cue!

Is cue used correctly in the following sentence?

I cued up for the tickets earlier today.

How to use cue in a sentence

It prepares them for adulthood, when there are fewer cues to self-advocate.
Online classes are difficult for the hard of hearing. Here’s how to fix that.|Eli Reiter|February 9, 2021|Popular-Science
This might make them more likely to notice the differences between new and familiar toys, and to attend to the verbal cue associated with them.
Is your dog actually smart? Depends on its memory.|By Jan Hoole/The Conversation|February 8, 2021|Popular-Science
Strenger, a client support specialist, later told me the companies’ co-founders took their aesthetic cues from Pokémon.
The workplace apps that could change the nature of work|Nicolás Rivero|February 7, 2021|Quartz
Cumulatively, the report notes, human-produced noise can mask “environmental cues indicating the presence of prey and predators, resulting in loss of social cohesion, missed opportunities for feeding, or failure to avoid a predator.”
Underwater Noise Pollution Is Disrupting Ocean Life—But We Can Fix It|Aryn Baker|February 5, 2021|Time

In the hands of a stronger writer, Malcolm & Marie could have taken its cues from great theater two-handers, duets designed to showcase their actors.
Zendaya and John David Washington deserve a better film than Malcolm & Marie|Alissa Wilkinson|February 5, 2021|Vox
Cue heartbroken Galavant engorging himself on booze and mutton back home.
‘Galavant’: A Drunken, Horny Musical Fairy Tale|Melissa Leon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The blast was a stupefying white flash followed by a body-shaking howl, and it was the cue for a maelstrom of metallic shrieks.
Shocked by Ukraine Violence, NATO Prepares to Face Down Putin|Leo Cendrowicz|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She did not weep on cue in public when Monteith died, or seek sympathy.
Why Does Everyone Hate Lea Michele?|Tim Teeman|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Affleck, as if on cue, challenged Harris: “Are you the person who understands the officially codified doctrine of Islam?”
Bill Maher 1, Ben Affleck 0|Michael Tomasky|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cue a series of shots of these veteran actors dusting off their best revenge faces.
I Am The Hague! Sylvester Stallone's 'Expendable' Wet Dream|Amy Zimmerman|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"This organized conspiracy on your part," the capstan gurgled, taking his cue from the mast.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
Eliza, glancing at Miss Prall, took her cue and looked disdainful of the whole affair.
In the Onyx Lobby|Carolyn Wells
Next came Coronado, as happy as a disappointed burglar whose cue it is to congratulate the rescuing policeman.
Overland|John William De Forest
He has quite a clerical look, and, if he hadn't, his voice would give the cue to his profession.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus
Others of the conspirators, however, took Fislar's bold cue and stoutly corroborated him.
Famous Adventures And Prison Escapes of the Civil War|Various

British Dictionary definitions for cue (1 of 2)

cue¹

/ (kjuː) /

noun

(in the theatre, films, music, etc) anything spoken or done that serves as a signal to an actor, musician, etc, to follow with specific lines or action
on cue at the right moment

a signal or reminder to do something

psychol the part of any sensory pattern that is identified as the signal for a response

the part, function, or action assigned to or expected of a person

verb cues, cueing or cued

(tr) to give a cue or cues to (an actor)

(usually foll by in or into) to signal (to something or somebody) at a specific moment in a musical or dramatic performanceto cue in a flourish of trumpets

(tr) to give information or a reminder to (someone)

(intr) to signal the commencement of filming, as with the word "Action!"

Word Origin for cue

C16: probably from name of the letter q, used in an actor's script to represent Latin quando when

British Dictionary definitions for cue (2 of 2)

cue²

/ (kjuː) /

noun

billiards snooker a long tapered shaft with a leather tip, used to drive the balls

hair caught at the back forming a tail or braid

US a variant spelling of queue

verb cues, cueing or cued

to drive (a ball) with a cue

(tr) to twist or tie (the hair) into a cue

Word Origin for cue

C18: variant of queue

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012