Clew

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Clew \Clew\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Clewed} p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Clewing}.] [Cf. D. kluwenen. See {Clew}, n.]
     1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. --Beau.


                                                    & Fl.
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     2. (Naut.) To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the
        clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews
        of a square sail to the yard.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {To clew down} (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on
        the clew lines.
  
     {To clew up} (Naut.), to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for
        furling.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Clew \Clew\ (kl[=u]), Clue \Clue\, n. [OE. clewe, clowe, clue,
     AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen,
     OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, kn[aum]uel, and perch.
     to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor.
     Perch. akin to E. claw. [root]26. Cf. {Knawel}.]
     1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
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              Untwisting his deceitful clew.        --Spenser.
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     2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful
        or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the
        solution of a mystery.
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              The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the
              vast and intricate maze of countinental politics,
              was in his hands.                     --Macaulay.
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     3. (Naut.)
        (a.) A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner
             of a fore-and-aft sail.
        (b.) A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail.
        (c.) A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock
             is suspended.
             [1913 Webster]
  
     {Clew garnet} (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of
        the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the
        lower yards.
  
     {Clew line} (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the
        smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or
        royal, is run up to its yard.
  
     {Clew-line block} (Naut.), The block through which a clew
        line reeves. See Illust. of {Block}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  clew
       n 1: a ball of yarn or cord or thread
       2: evidence that helps to solve a problem [syn: {clue}, {cue}]
       v : roll into a ball [syn: {clue}]