\Clew\, 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["a]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.
         Untwisting his deceitful clew.        --Spenser.
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.
         The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the
         vast and intricate maze of countinental politics,
         was in his hands.                     --Macaulay.
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.
{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}.

\Clew\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. & vb. n. {Clewing}.] [Cf. D.
kluwenen. See {Clew}, n.]
1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.]
         Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. --Beau.
                                               && Fl.
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.
{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.