Clew \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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Clew \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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)