Clew /(klū)/

Clew

n.
  1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
    Untwisting his deceitful clew.
  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.
  3. A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore-and-aft sail. (Naut.)

Phrases & Compounds
Clew garnet
one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards.
Clew line
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
The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block.

Clew

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Clewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Clewing

  1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.]
    Direct and clew me out the way to happiness.
  2. 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. (Naut.)

Phrases & Compounds
To clew down
to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines.
To clew up
to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for furling.