clue

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++clue1 /kluː/ ●●● S2 noun [countable]  1  SOLVE/DEAL WITH A PROBLEMan object or piece of information that helps someone solve a crime or mystery 〔帮助破案或解开谜团的〕线索，提示 Police have found a vital clue. 警方发现了至关重要的线索。clue to/about/as to We now have an important clue as to the time of the murder. 我们现在掌握了有关这宗谋杀案发生时间的重要线索。 Archaeological evidence will provide clues about what the building was used for. 考古证据将为这幢建筑的用途提供线索。clue in This information is a valuable clue in our hunt for the bombers. 这一信息是我们追捕放置炸弹者极有用的线索。 a desperate search for clues 拼命寻找线索2  REASONinformation that helps you understand the reasons why something happens 〔有助于弄清事情缘由的〕线索clue to/about/as to Childhood experiences may provide a clue as to why some adults develop eating disorders. 关于为什么有些成年人会出现饮食失调，童年时期的经历也许可以提供线索。3  SOLVE/DEAL WITH A PROBLEMa piece of information that helps you solve a crossword puzzle, answer a question etc 〔解开纵横填字谜、回答问题等的〕提示 I’ll give you a clue, Kevin, it’s a kind of bird. 我给你个提示吧，凯文，那是一种鸟。4  not have a clue (where/why/how etc) informal a) NOT KNOWto not have any idea about the answer to a question, how to do something, what a situation is etc （对于在哪里/为什么/如何等）一无所知，毫无头绪 ‘Do you know how to switch this thing off?’ ‘I haven’t a clue.’ “你知道怎么关上这个吗？”“我不知道。” Until I arrived here, I hadn’t got a clue what I was going to say to her. 在我到达这里之前，我完全不知道要跟她说什么。 b) BAD ATto be very stupid, or very bad at a particular activity 〔做起某种事来〕很愚蠢；很笨拙 Don’t let Mike cook you dinner; he hasn’t got a clue. 别让迈克给你做饭，他笨得很。 I haven’t a clue how to talk to girls. 我和女孩子讲起话来笨嘴拙舌的。not have a clue (where/why/how etc) about No point asking Jill – she hasn’t got a clue about maths. 问吉尔没有用，她对数学一窍不通。n COLLOCATIONSverbsprovide a clueAny information could provide the police with useful clues.hold a clue (also yield a clue formal) (=provide one)The poem itself holds a clue about who it was written for.leave a clueThe bombers may have left behind vital clues.search (something) for cluesDetectives are still searching the house for clues.look for/hunt for cluesInvestigators descended on the crime scene hunting for clues.find a clueNo one had found any clues as to where the missing girl could be.adjectivesan important/useful/valuable clueThe car used in the robbery may provide important clues.a vital clue (=very important)A videotape could hold vital clues to the criminal’s identity.a further clue (=an additional clue)They searched the surrounding area for further clues.phrasesa search for cluesShe opened every drawer in her desperate search for clues.

Examples from the Corpus

clue• When Silverstein switched off the tape and asked the students to write down a clue, they were simply lost.• A careful history may give a clue as to the origin.• First, the fairly simple trick of separating two component parts of a clue by a number of pages.• The back-drops to portrait photos in the photographer's studio can also offer important dating clues.• The FBI sorted through the suspects' garbage in hopes of finding clues.• An answer to that question might give clues to the broader question of the function of sleep.• But there can also be trickery using material clues.• Police are investigating but said they had no clue as to the motive.• I smoked one cigarette after another, but that was the only clue to my tumult.clue to/about/as to• His eyes are searching the inside of the car for a clue as to what could have happened.• Instead, she studied the Fannings intently for clues as to their mysterious behavior.• It gives no clues as to the social context of art works.• Which meant I had no clue as to his present appearance.• I had no clue as to where I was anymore.• The package offered no clue as to the identity of the sender.• Sometimes at night Wojciech howls to the wolves and their answers provide clues as to their whereabouts and numbers.• He searched his mind for some clue as to why he should know Jacob Valentine.clue to/about/as to• His eyes are searching the inside of the car for a clue as to what could have happened.• Instead, she studied the Fannings intently for clues as to their mysterious behavior.• It gives no clues as to the social context of art works.• Which meant I had no clue as to his present appearance.• I had no clue as to where I was anymore.• The package offered no clue as to the identity of the sender.• Sometimes at night Wojciech howls to the wolves and their answers provide clues as to their whereabouts and numbers.• He searched his mind for some clue as to why he should know Jacob Valentine.give ... a clue• Personally, I'd not have made any heavyweight preparations but avoided giving any clues until the last moment.• He gave no clue Sunday night about which option he would choose, though he asked his followers for financial support.• He gave the clue, Gilbert.• This may give some clues on how overheating contributes to cot death.• A peek at his studio gives a clue.• The use of this material could very well gave us a clue to the date of the first stone church at Halling.• It is the segregation of employment by gender which gives the best clues as to why women generally earn less than men.clue2 verb  1 clue somebody ↔ in phrasal verb informal TELLto give someone information about something 给〔某人〕提供线索；告知 on/about Somebody must have clued him in on our sales strategy. 肯定有人把我们的销售策略透露给了他。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

clue• With this Charles Shultz-like irreverence, the Swonkmeisters clue us in to their special spirituality.nClue trademark  n1.the US name for the game CluedoOrigin clue1 (1500-1600) clew “ball of string” ((11-19 centuries)), from Old English cliewen; from the use of a ball of string for finding the way out of a network of passages

clue1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1clue2 verbClueLDOCE OnlineChinese  

someone an solve that piece Corpus helps or object of information

clue

I

clue¹ S2 /kluː/ noun [countable]1. an object or piece of information that helps someone solve a crime or mystery:
    Police have found a vital clue.
    clue to/about/as to
    We now have an important clue as to the time of the murder.
    Archaeological evidence will provide clues about what the building was used for.
    clue in
    This information is a valuable clue in our hunt for the bombers.
    a desperate search for clues
2. information that helps you understand the reasons why something happens
    clue to/about/as to
    Childhood experiences may provide a clue as to why some adults develop eating disorders.
3. a piece of information that helps you solve a crossword puzzle, answer a question etc:
    I’ll give you a clue, Kevin, it’s a kind of bird.
4. not have a clue (where/why/how etc) informal
  a. to not have any idea about the answer to a question, how to do something, what a situation is etc:
    ‘Do you know how to switch this thing off?’ ‘I haven’t a clue.’
    Until I arrived here, I hadn’t got a clue what I was going to say to her.
  b. to be very stupid, or very bad at a particular activity:
    Don’t let Mike cook you dinner; he hasn’t got a clue.
    I haven’t a clue how to talk to girls.
    not have a clue (where/why/how etc) about
    No point asking Jill – she hasn’t got a clue about maths.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ provide a clue Any information could provide the police with useful clues.
   ▪ hold a clue (also yield a clue formal) (=provide one) The poem itself holds a clue about who it was written for.
   ▪ leave a clue The bombers may have left behind vital clues.
   ▪ search (something) for clues Detectives are still searching the house for clues.
   ▪ look for/hunt for clues Investigators descended on the crime scene hunting for clues.
   ▪ find a clue No one had found any clues as to where the missing girl could be.
■ adjectives
   ▪ an important/useful/valuable clue The car used in the robbery may provide important clues.
   ▪ a vital clue (=very important) A videotape could hold vital clues to the criminal’s identity.
   ▪ a further clue (=an additional clue) They searched the surrounding area for further clues.
■ phrases
   ▪ a search for clues She opened every drawer in her desperate search for clues.

II

clue² verb
     
clue somebody ↔ in phrasal verb informal
  to give someone information about something
    clue somebody ↔ in on/about
    Somebody must have clued him in on our sales strategy.

Clue

I

Clue trademark
the US name for the game Cluedo

II

Clue‧do /ˈkluːdəʊ/ British English, Clue American English trademark
a type of board game in which each player becomes a different character, such as Colonel Mustard or Miss Scarlet, in a murder story, and tries to discover which character is the murderer, what the murder weapon was, and in which room in the house the murder took place