First Known Use: circa 1755
Dictionary
1cue
noun \ˈkyü\
Definition of CUE
: the letter q
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Origin of CUE
Middle English cu half a farthing (spelled form of q, abbreviation for Latin quadrans quarter of an as)
Rhymes with CUE
blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, dew, do, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hew, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, through, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo
2cue
noun
Definition of CUE
1
a : a signal (as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action b : something serving a comparable purpose : hint
2
: a feature indicating the nature of something perceived
3
archaic : the part one has to perform in or as if in a play
Origin of CUE
probably from qu, abbreviation (used as a direction in actors' copies of plays) of Latin quando when
First Known Use: 1553
3cue
verb
cuedcu·ing or cue·ing
Definition of CUE
transitive verb
1
: to give a cue to : prompt
2
: to insert into a continuous performance <cue in sound effects>
First Known Use of CUE
1922
4cue
noun
Definition of CUE
1
a : a leather-tipped tapering rod for striking the cue ball (as in billiards and pool) b : a long-handled instrument with a concave head for shoving disks in shuffleboard
2
: queue 2
Origin of CUE
French queue, literally, tail, from Old French cue, coe, queue, from Latin cauda
First Known Use: circa 1749
5cue
verb
cuedcu·ing or cue·ing
Definition of CUE
transitive verb
1
: queue
2
: to strike with a cue
intransitive verb
1
: queue
2
: to use a cue
First Known Use of CUE
circa 1784
CUE Defined for Kids
1cue
noun \ˈkyü\
Definition of CUE for Kids
1
: something serving as a signal or suggestion : hint <The baby's whine is a cue she's tired.>
2
: a word, phrase, or action in a play serving as a signal for the next actor to speak or to do something
2cue
noun
Definition of CUE for Kids
: a straight tapering stick used in playing billiards and pool
Medical Dictionary
cue
noun \ˈkyü\
Medical Definition of CUE
: a minor stimulus acting as an indication of the nature of the perceived object or situation <foreshortened lines in the picture are cues to depth perception>
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