clew
/kluː/
noun
- A ball or coil of yarn, thread, or string.
- She wound the loose yarn into a neat clew.
- He found a clew of rope in the garage.
- The cat played with a clew of blue thread.
- A clue or piece of evidence that helps solve a problem or mystery.
- A single clew led them to the hidden treasure.
- The detective followed every clew in the case.
- She left a clew for her friend to find her.
- The lower corner of a sail on a ship.
- The clew was damaged in the storm.
- The sailor pulled the clew of the sail tight.
- He tied the rope to the clew of the mainsail.
verb
- To coil or wind into a ball.
- The sailor clewed the line and stowed it below deck.
- He clewed the rope so it wouldn't tangle.
- She clewed the yarn carefully before putting it away.
- To raise or lower the lower corners of a sail (usually with "up" or "down").
- He clewed down the jib to reduce speed.
- The crew clewed up the sail as the wind died.
- They clewed the mainsail before entering the harbor.