Clew \Clew\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clewed p. pr. & vb. n.
Clewing.] [Cf. D. kluwenen. See Clew, n.]
1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.]
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Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. --Beau.
& Fl.
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2. (Naut.) To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the
clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews
of a square sail to the yard.
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To clew down (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on
the clew lines.
To clew up (Naut.), to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for
furling.
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Clew \Clew\ (kl[=u]), Clue \Clue\, n. [OE. clewe, clowe, clue,
AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen,
OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, kn[aum]uel, and perch.
to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor.
Perch. akin to E. claw. [root]26. Cf. Knawel.]
1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
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Untwisting his deceitful clew. --Spenser.
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2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful
or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the
solution of a mystery.
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The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the
vast and intricate maze of countinental politics,
was in his hands. --Macaulay.
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3. (Naut.)
(a.) A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner
of a fore-and-aft sail.
(b.) A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail.
(c.) A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock
is suspended.
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Clew garnet (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of
the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the
lower yards.
Clew line (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the
smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or
royal, is run up to its yard.
Clew-line block (Naut.), The block through which a clew
line reeves. See Illust. of Block.
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