/ kluː; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
clue (to sth) an object, a piece of evidence or some information that helps the police solve a crime :
The police think the videotape may hold some vital clues to the identity of the killer.
2.
clue (to sth) a fact or a piece of evidence that helps you discover the answer to a problem :
Diet may hold the clue to the causes of migraine.
3.
some words or a piece of information that helps you find the answers to a crossword , a game or a question :
'You'll never guess who I saw today!' 'Give me a clue.'
—picture at crossword
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IDIOMS
- not have a clue
■ verb
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PHRASAL VERBS
- clue sb in (on sth)
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : variant of clew . The original sense was a ball of thread ; this was used to guide a person out of a labyrinth. Sense 1 dates from the early 17th cent.