| 释义 |
clew
I. noun
or clue \ˈklü\
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English clewe, from Old English cliewen; akin to Old High German kliuwa ball, Old Norse klōclaw, Greek ginglymos hinge, Sanskrit glau round lump — more at gall
1. : a ball of thread, yarn, or cord
2. usually clue
a. : the information or key that guides through an intricate procedure or a maze of difficulties
< provide a clew through the complex negotiations >
b. : the thread of narrative (as in a story) or of thought or argument
c. : a piece of evidence tending to lead one toward the solution of a problem : an indication that properly interpreted may lead to full understanding of something or to the discovery of something unknown or hidden
< the flight of birds might furnish a valuable clue to the problem of blind flying — H.G.Armstrong >
< possess a rough clue as to what the conversation has previously been about — Paul Dehn >
3.
a. : a lower corner of a square sail or the after lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail — see sail illustration
b. clews plural : a combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended
II. transitive verb
or clue \“\
(clewed or clued ; clewed or clued ; clewing or clueing or cluing ; clews or clues)
1. : to roll into a ball
2. usually clue
a. : to provide with a clue (as to something hidden or unknown)
< nothing to clew us to what happened >
b. slang : to give reliable information to
< clew me on how it works >
3.
a. : to haul (a sail) by means of the clew garnets or clew lines up to a yard or mast — used with up
b. : to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines — used with down |