1. To truss up sails to the yard. Clew-garnets, a sort of tackle fastened to the clews of the main and fore-sails, to truss them up to the yard. Clewlines, a similar tackle, applied to the smaller square-sails.

2. A ball of thread; the thread that forms a ball; a thread to guide a person in a labyrinth, like that given by Ariadne to guide Theseus through the labyrinth at Crete; anything that guides or directs one in an intricate case; a key or a hint to the solution of a mystery; the lower corner of a square-sail, and the aftermost corner of a stay-sail.

Nuttall's Standard dictionary of the English language By Nuttall, P.Austin

• clet,
• clseo,
• claen,
• clien,
• clrea,
• cleo,
• cler,
• crewl,
• klnew,
• celey,
• ciew,
• cleen,
• clese,
• celer,
• cle,
• wlel,
• caler,
• clen,
• culer,
• ucler

• cli,
• cl,
• chew,
• Flew,
• Blew,
• Cloe,
• claw,
• clue,
• Cleo,
• clio,
• clay,
• crew,
• clef,
• slew,
• clow,
• cloy.

The adverb form of the word "clew" is "cleverly".

The adjective form of the word "clew" is "clueless".

The plural of the "clew" can be the "clews".

The singular of the "clew" can be the "clew".