clewn.
/kl(j)uː/ a. A globular body; a ball (formed by coiling together or conglomeration). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > curved three-dimensional shape or body > [noun] > sphericity or globularity > sphere > spherical or globular mass
clewc897
ballc1275
conglobation1646
conglomeration1662
c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care xxxv. 241 Se iil..sona sua hiene mon gefehd, sua gewint he to anum cliewene.
c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care xxxv. 244 Ðonne ðæt ierre ðæs ytemestan domes..arafeð ðæt cliwen ðære twyfealdan heortan.
OE Phoenix 226 Hwæþre him eft cymeð æfter fyrstmearce feorh edniwe, siþþan þa yslan eft onginnað æfter ligþræce lucan togædre geclungne to cleowenne.
c1000 in Thorpe Hom. II. 514 Swilce fyren clywen.
c1050 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 187 Globus, clywen... Glomer, globellum, cleowen.
a1250 Owl & Nightingale 578 Þu..þinchest a lutel soti cleowe [v.r. clowe, clewe].
1508 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. 53 Thou shalte..set all wretched synners as a clew or a grete hepe of fyre.
1796 J. G. Stedman Narr. Exped. Surinam I. vii. 153 Both these creatures, by forming themselves in a clew, have often more the appearance of excrescences in the bark, than that of animals.
b. A round bunch or cluster of things.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being gathered together > an assemblage or collection > [noun] > mass formed by collection of particles > round
ballc1275
clew1600
ballotini1951
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique ii. lxv. 410 If the whole troupe [of bees] be diuided into many clewes, or round bunches, you need not then doubt but that there are many kings.
1669 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 4 1018 Of a great clew of worms voided by crude mercury taken inwardly.
2. figurative.a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) i. iii. 178 If it be so, you haue wound a goodly clewe . View more context for this quotation1645 Bp. J. Hall Peace-maker xiii. 111 To winde up this clew of our discourse.1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian xii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. II. 296 There is aye a wimple in a lawyer's clew.1879 S. H. Butcher & A. Lang tr. Homer Odyssey 9 When he had wound up the clew of war.
a. esp. A ball formed by winding thread; a ball of thread or yarn. (The regular name in Scotland and north of England.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > thread or yarn > [noun] > ball of
clew956
bottom1440
clowchync1440
ball1572
clue1611
glome1643
yarn-clue1820
956 in Cod. Dipl. III. 451 (Bosw.) An cliwen godes nettgernes.
c1050 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 413 Glomer, cleowen.
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Ariadne. 2140 His wepne, his clewe [v.r. clyw, clew, clywe]..Was by the gayler in the hous I-leyd.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 83 Clowchyn, or clowe [v.r. clewe], glomus, globus.
1483 Cath. Angl. 69 To wynde clowys, glomerare.
?1529 R. Hyrde tr. J. L. Vives Instr. Christen Woman i. viii. sig. H.iiijv What a foule thynge is hit, to se a woman..for her clewe or prayer boke, to turne the cardes.
1574 J. Baret Aluearie C 609 A Clew, or bottome of threed.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 346/1 The Weavers Trough is that in which he puts his Clews of Yarn.
1866 R. Chambers Ess. 2nd Ser. 26 Clews and corks..to roll along the floor.
b. The cocoon spun by a silkworm or the like.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Arachnida > [noun] > order Aranea > member of (spider) > cocoon
clew1599
cod1600
cocoon1699
spider-bag1728
cone1804
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > eggs or young > [noun] > young or development of young > larva > cocoon
clew1599
cod1600
husk1600
patella1671
follicle1681
dop1700
scabbard1714
cone1774
cocoon1815
1599 T. Moffett Silkewormes 68 From out whose belly..Whole clews of silk scarse half concocted, spring.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique iii. lxxxviii. 630 They goe mad till they be packed vp in their little clewes and bottoms.
1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) Ep. Ded. She first disposeth it for the strengthning of her clew of yarn.
3.
a. A ball of thread, which in various mythological or legendary narratives (esp. that of Theseus in the Cretan Labyrinth) is mentioned as the means of ‘threading’ a way through a labyrinth or maze; hence, in many more or less figurative applications: that which guides through a maze, perplexity, difficulty, intricate investigation, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [noun] > guidance > that which guides
lodestarc1374
clew1385
Palinurus1567
stern1577
thread1580
twist1580
sea-mark1589
Pole Star1590
cynosure1596
buoya1603
oracle1612
leading light1653
gospela1674
indexc1750
polar stara1774
pilot star1789
clue1840
guidance1841
guideline1917
breadcrumb trail1969
1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Ariadne. 2016 By a clewe of twyn as he hath gon The same weye he may returne a-non ffolwynge alwey the thred as he hath come.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1869) II. ii. xx. 385 Laborinthus..Ȝif eny man wente þider yn wiþoute a clewe of þrede, it were ful harde to finde a way out.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. ccxxxviii. f. clxv But ye comon fame tellyth yt lastly the Quene wanne to her [sc. Rosamounde] by a clewe of threde or sylke.
a1592 R. Greene Alcida (1617) sig. C2 No courteous Ariadne to giue them a clew of threed to draw them out of their miseries.
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Trag. Barnavelt (1980) i. i. 2 The labourinthes of pollicie, I haue trod to find the clew of saffetie.
1706 J. Addison Rosamond i. iii Of him that has got Fair Rosamond's bower, With the clew in his power.
1785 G. Crabbe News-paper 9 With clews like these they tread the maze of state.
1855 W. H. Prescott Hist. Reign Philip II of Spain I. ii. vii. 226 A clew for conducting the student through more than one intricate negotiation.
b. With the literal sense obscured: An indication to follow, a slight direction, a ‘key’. See clue n., the prevalent spelling.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > answer > [noun] > solution, explanation > that which provides
keyeOE
explanation?a1475
master key1577
explanatory1650
cluea1665
clew1725
lead1851
solvent1865
accounting1885
1725 I. Watts Logick iv. ii. 533 For want of some clue, or connecting Idea, to lay hold of.
1760 L. Sterne Serm. Mr. Yorick II. ix. 61 With this clew, let us endeavour to unravel this character of Herod as here given.
1844 J. B. Mozley Ess. (1878) II. 36 This distinction gives us the clew to a good deal of Arnold's language.
1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. App. 634 We may here have lighted on the clew to the great puzzle.
4. Used in reference to the thread of life, which the Fates are represented as spinning.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > source or principle of life > [noun] > course or span of life
life-dayOE
year-daysOE
timeOE
dayOE
lifeOE
life's timeOE
livelihoodOE
yearOE
lifetimea1300
life-whilea1300
for (also to) term of (a person's) lifea1325
coursec1384
livingc1390
voyage1390
agea1398
life's dayc1425
thread1447
racea1450
living daysc1450
natural life1461
lifeness1534
twist1568
leasec1595
span1599
clew1615
marcha1625
peregrination1653
clue1684
stamen1701
life term1739
innings1772
lifelong1814
pass-through1876
inning1885
natural1891
life cycle1915
puff1967
1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 198 Life..may be compared to a clew of yarne, such as the Poets faigned the Destinies to spin.
1646 Bp. J. Hall Balme of Gilead 296 The old man knowes how little of his clew is left in the winding.
a1683 J. Oldham Remains in Verse & Prose 26 in Wks. & Remains (1684) And for another Clew her spindle fit.
1821 Ld. Byron Sardanapalus v. i. 152 Our clew being well nigh wound out, let's be cheerful.
5. A thread or cord (in a series).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > rope, cord, or line > cord or string
string1154
cordc1305
loync1400
knittlea1425
chord1645
clew1660
slip1688
tie-cord1907
1660 J. Dryden Astræa Redux 10 To see small clues draw vastest weights along, Not in their bulk but in their order strong.
6. The series of small cords by which a hammock is suspended at the two ends, called respectively the head-clew and foot-clew.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > rope, cord, or line > cord or string > series
clew1834
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > bed > types of bed > [noun] > hammock > specific part
clue1751
clew1834
1834 M. Scott Cruise of Midge i, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 315/2 A hammock thrown over his shoulders.., the clew hanging half-way down his back.
1837 F. Marryat Snarleyyow (ed. 2) II. v. 88 It was sitting on the head-clue of Smallbones's hammock.
7.
a. Nautical. A lower corner of a square sail, or the aftmost corner of a fore-and-aft sail, to which are made fast the tacks and sheets by which it is extended and held to the lower yard. †to spread a large (full, small) clew: (of a square sail) to have the two lower corners of the sail wide (or otherwise) apart; hence, to spread large (or small) canvas. from clew to earing: literal the diagonal of a square sail: figurative from bottom to top, ‘from top to toe’, completely.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > thoroughly > from beginning to end or through and through
to the boneOE
through and throughc1225
out and outc1300
from top to tail1303
out and inc1390
(from) head to heel (also heels)c1400
(from) head to foot (also feet)c1425
from top to (into, unto) toec1425
to the skin1526
to one's (also the) finger (also fingers') ends1530
from first to last1536
up and down1542
whole out1562
to the pith1587
to the back1594
from A to (also until) Z1612
from clew to earing1627
from top to bottom1666
back and edge1673
all hollow1762
(all) to pieces1788
from A to Za1821
to one's (also the) fingertips1825
to one's fingernails1851
from tip to toe1853
down to the ground1859
to the backbone1864
right the way1867
pur sang1893
from the ground up1895
in and out1895
from soda (card) to hock1902
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > sail > [noun] > lower corner(s) of sail > clew
clue1599
clew1627
spectacle clew1863
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. vii. 32 When the Saile is large and hath a good Clew, we say she spreds a large Clew, or spreds much Canuas.
1645 Bp. J. Hall Remedy Discontentm. xii. 62 Having that large clew which they spread, expos'd to all windes.
1698 Capt. Langford in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 20 412 The Clews of the Sails I spik'd all down to the Timbers.
1707 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum Clew of the Sail of a Ship is the lower Corner of it which reaches down to that Earing where the Tackles and Sheats are fastned.
1874 F. G. D. Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. vi. 171 If weights be fastened to the clews, the boat's drift will be much retarded.
b. transferred. The expanse of the wings (of a bird).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > parts of or bird defined by > [noun] > wing or wings > expanse or extent of wings ( and tail)
clewa1618
sail1759
spread1794
a1618 J. Sylvester Iob Triumphant in tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Diuine Weekes & Wks. (1621) 946 Is't by thy wisedom that the Hawk doth mew, And to the Southward spreads her winged Clew?
8. clew up: an act of clewing up a sail; figurative a case of despair. (Adm. Smyth.)
Compounds
clew-bottom n. a bottom or reel to wind a clew on; in quot. 1737 figurative.
ΚΠ
1737 J. Ozell tr. F. Rabelais Wks. II. vii. 48 The Clew-bottom of Theology.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
clewv.
/kluː/, U.S. /klu/ 1. transitive. To coil up into a ball.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > coil > [verb (transitive)] > into a fixed or constrained position
clewc1420
to coil up1774
clue1860
c1420 Chron. Vilod. 885 Þis blessud mayde clewȝthe up her leggus herre to.
1819 W. Scott Legend of Montrose v, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. IV. 79 To lie..clew'd up like a hurchin.
2. To point out as by a clew or clue.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > indication > pointing out > point out [verb (transitive)]
teacha900
showa1225
brevea1377
ensign1477
point1477
note1521
demonstrate1534
appointa1547
to put (also lay) one's (also the) finger on1574
remark1592
outpoint1595
finger1619
clewa1625
notice1627
denote1632
indicate1651
to index outa1796
a1625 J. Fletcher Women Pleas'd ii. v, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Dddddd3v/2 A woman might awake me, Direct, and clew me out the way to happinesse.
3. Nautical. to clew up: to draw the lower ends or clews (of sails) up to the upper yard or the mast in preparation for furling or for making ‘goose-wings’. to clew down: to let down (sails) by the clews in unfurling them. Also absol.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of sails, spars, or rigging > carry specific amount of sail [verb (transitive)] > draw up for furling
bunt1611
brail1625
to clew up1745
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of sails, spars, or rigging > carry specific amount of sail [verb (transitive)] > set or spread (sails) > unfurl > let down clews
unclue1797
to clew down1840
1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 346 We with all manner of Expedition clew'd up and furl'd her other Sails.
1836 M. Scott Cruise of Midge ix. 145 We found it necessary to clew up every thing but the close-reefed foresail.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast v. 9 We had hardly time to haul down and clew up before it was upon us.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast v. 9 We clewed down, and hauled out the reef-tackles again.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.c897
v.c1420