glue

[gloo]

noun

1. a hard, impure, protein gelatin, obtained by boiling skins, hoofs, and other animal substances in water, that when melted or diluted is a strong adhesive.

2. any of various solutions or preparations of this substance, used as an adhesive.

3. any of various other solutions or preparations that can be used as adhesives.

verb (used with object)

glued, gluing 

1. to join or fasten with glue.

   Synonyms: plaster, cement, stick, gum, paste

2. to cover or smear (something) with glue (sometimes followed byup ).

3. to fix or attach firmly with or as if with glue; make adhere closely.

   to glue a model ship together.

glue

/ ɡluː /

noun

1. any natural or synthetic adhesive, esp a sticky gelatinous substance prepared by boiling animal products such as bones, skin, and horns

2. any other sticky or adhesive substance

verb

1. (tr) to join or stick together with or as if with glue

Other Word Forms

• gluelike adjective
• gluer noun
• reglue verb (used with object)
• gluey adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of glue¹

1300–50; (noun) Middle English glu, gleu < Old French glu < Latin glūt- (stem of glūs ); cognate with Greek gloiós gum, anything sticky; (v.) Middle English glywen, glewen, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of glue¹

C14: from Old French glu, from Late Latin glūs; compare Greek gloios

Example Sentences

When I was a kid, my parents were terrified that I was glued to the TV and said, “What are you going to do in life, get a job watching television?”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Except that there deliberately aren’t any matching pieces, and then your brain will have to find a different way to assemble them, using nothing but glue and string.

Read more on Salon

Aggrievement and isolation, perversely enough, became the glue that holds the community together.

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"It's like quick set fault glue," Thomas said.

Read more on Science Daily

When she wasn’t glued to her phone, she was rifling through the racks at thrift stores or ordering Hello Kitty memorabilia online.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cement 
• paste 
• plaster