glue

American  

[gloo] / glu /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of glue

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

Example Sentences

What holds these units together are chemical bonds, which act like glue at the molecular level.

From Science Daily

But despite its water-sensitive glues and exposed hydraulics, the seahorse completed its route intact.

From Los Angeles Times

"It acts like a molecular glue, locking the material together so it doesn't fall apart too quickly once injected."

From Science Daily

“Everybody calls him a glue guy,” Stafford said, “probably an understatement.”

From Los Angeles Times

For many, he said, the gym is a place to leave phones behind and stop being glued to screens.

From BBC

Related Words

• cement
• paste
• plaster