clew: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2archaic, literary, technical (nautical)
Quick answer
What does “clew” mean?
A ball of yarn or thread.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A ball of yarn or thread; the primary meaning refers literally to this object.
A guide or clue to solving a problem; in sailing, the lower corner of a square sail or the aft corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'clew' is standard for the nautical term in both varieties. The 'clue' meaning is universally spelled 'clue' in modern English. No major usage differences exist.
Connotations
Primarily historical or technical. In everyday language, the spelling 'clue' has completely supplanted 'clew' for the 'guide to a solution' meaning.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general usage. The word survives mainly in historical texts, poetry, and technical nautical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “clew” in a Sentence
to clew up/down (a sail)to follow a clewa clew to + noun phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clew” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sailor prepared to clew up the mainsail as the storm approached.
- He began to clew the great square sail down to the yard.
American English
- Clew down the jib before making the turn.
- We need to clew up the canvas for the night.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical/literary analysis referencing the Theseus myth or archaic texts.
Everyday
Not used. 'Clue' is used instead.
Technical
Standard term in nautical/sailing contexts for parts of a sail and related ropes (clew line, clew garnet).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clew”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clew”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clew”
- Spelling the modern word 'clue' as 'clew'.
- Using 'clew' in a non-nautical, non-historical modern context.
- Pronouncing it differently from 'clue'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for the meaning 'guide to a solution'. However, 'clew' also has a distinct, still-current meaning in sailing and the original meaning of 'a ball of thread', which is the origin of the 'clue' metaphor.
No. Unless you are writing historical fiction, poetry, or a technical manual about sailing, you should always use the modern spelling 'clue'.
It is a nautical verb meaning to draw the lower corner(s) of a sail up to the yard or mast (to clew up) or to let them down (to clew down) in preparation for furling or adjusting the sail.
The connection is the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Ariadne gave him a 'clew' (ball) of thread to unwind so he could retrace his steps out of the Labyrinth. Thus, the 'ball of thread' became metaphorically a 'guide to solving a puzzle', which evolved into the modern word 'clue'.
A ball of yarn or thread.
Clew is usually archaic, literary, technical (nautical) in register.
Clew: in British English it is pronounced /kluː/, and in American English it is pronounced /kluː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clew oneself up (nautical)”
- “hold the clew (archaic)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine Theseus holding a CLEW of blue thread. The W looks like a tangled ball of yarn.
Conceptual Metaphor
A THREAD IS A GUIDE; A PATH IS A THREAD (from the labyrinth myth).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'clew' still commonly used today?