I. ˈglü noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English glu, glew, from Middle French glu birdlime, glue, from Old French, from Late Latin glut-, glus glue — more at clay
1.
a.
(1) : a hard protein substance that absorbs water to form a jelly or a viscous solution with strong adhesive properties that is obtained like gelatin by cooking down materials (as hides, bones) yielding collagen and is usually considered to contain gelatin along with other products and is used for sticking together relatively heavy materials (as wood) — see animal glue , fish glue ; compare mucilage , paste ; cement 2a
(2) : a viscous solution of animal glue or fish glue — compare liquid glue
b. : any of various other strong adhesive substances (as casein glue, vegetable glue)
2. : something that binds together
patriotism is the psychological glue which helps to hold people of the same country together — R.S.Ellery
or holds tightly
his plunging spirit had got stuck in the glue of convention and hypocrisy — Victoria Sackville-West
in a manner suggestive of glue
II. verb
( glued ; glued ; gluing also glueing ; glues )
Etymology: Middle English gluen, glewen, from Middle French gluer, from Old French, from glu, n.
transitive verb
1. : to join or fix or cause to stick tightly with or as if with glue
gluing the wings onto the model airplane
reading attentively, his eyes glued to the page
2. : to daub, smear, or cover with glue
got their hands all glued up
intransitive verb
: to become glued : undergo gluing
a wood that glues easily