clew

clewnoun/kluː/

• 1

  obsoleteA roughly spherical mass or body.

  • If the whole troupe be diuided into many clewes, or round bunches, you need not then doubt but that there are many kings.
  • Both theſe creatures [the "ai" (aye-aye?) and "unan"], by forming themſelves in a clew, have often more the appearance of excreſcences in the bark, than that of animals.
• 2

  archaicA ball of thread or yarn.

  • [O]nely ſinne And helliſh obſtinacie tye thy tongue That truth ſhould be ſuſpected, ſpeake, iſ't ſo? If it be ſo, you haue wound a goodly clewe: If it be not, forſweare't how ere I charge thee, As heauen ſhall work in me for thine auaile To tell me truelie.
  • A rare, precious, and never interrupted race of philosophers to whom wisdom, like another Ariadne, seems to have given a clew of thread which they have been walking along unwinding since the beginning of the world, through the labyrinth of human affairs.
• 3

  Yarn or thread as used to guide one's way through a maze or labyrinth; a guide, a clue.

• 4

  nauticaltransportThe lower corner(s) of a sail to which a sheet is attached for trimming the sail (adjusting its position relative to the wind); the metal loop or cringle in the corner of the sail, to which the sheet is attached. (on a triangular sail) The trailing corner relative to the wind direction.

  • 'Mid the rattle of blocks and the tramp of the crew, Hisses the rain of the rushing squall; The sails are aback from clew to clew, And now is the moment for "MAINSAIL, HAUL!"
  • "Clew" is Saxon; "garnet" (from granato, a fruit) is Italian,—that is, the garnet- or pomegranate-shaped block fastened to the clew or corner of the courses, and hence the rope running through the block.
• 5

  The sheets so attached to a sail.

  • The canvas running up in a proud sweep, Wind-wrinkled at the clews, and white like lint,
• 6

  nauticaltransportThe cords suspending a hammock.

  • He taught us how to attach the clews to the ends of the hammock and then lash it between jack stays.

clewverb/kluː/

• 1

  to roll into a ball

• 2

  nauticaltransportto raise the lower corner(s) of (a sail)

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：

• clue