cue Meaning & Definition
What Does Cue Mean?
As a noun, cue means the letter q. As a verb, it means to give a cue to. As a verb, it means queue.
Cue in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkyü/ |
| Synonyms | prompt, clew and clue |
| Antonyms | answer and solution |
| Plural | cues |
| Verb forms | cues, cueing, cued |
Cue Definition (Noun)
- the letter q
Noun
- a signal (such as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action
That last line is your cue to exit the stage.
- something serving a comparable purpose : hint
I'll take that yawn as my cue to leave.
- a feature indicating the nature of something perceived
The expressions on people's faces give us visual cues about their feelings.
- the part one has to perform in or as if in a play
- mood, humor
Cue as a Verb
- to give a cue to : prompt
cued the band to begin
- to insert into a continuous performance
cue in sound effects
Noun
- a leather-tipped tapering rod for striking the cue ball (as in billiards and pool)
- a long-handled instrument with a concave head for shoving disks in shuffleboard
- queue
Verb
- queue
- to strike with a cue
- to use a cue
Synonyms of Cue
Antonyms of Cue
Cue in a Sentence
Cue the cameraman, and action!
These techniques can cue an open dialogue with your interviewer.
That last line is your cue to exit the stage.
I'll take that yawn as my cue to leave.
The expressions on people's faces give us visual cues about their feelings.
cued the band to begin
cue in sound effects
taking a cue from nature, scientists are developing safe and effective insecticides using insect hormones
the cue to get tickets to the concert moved with agonizing slowness
Word Forms & Grammar
cue
cues
cued
cu·ing
cue·ing
cueing
cuing
cue (plural cues)
cue (third-person singular simple present cues, present participle cueing or cuing, simple past and past participle cued)
Words That Rhyme With Cue
Origin of Cue
Origin 1: Middle English cu half a farthing (spelled form of q, abbreviation for Latin quadrans quarter of an as)
Origin 2: probably from qu, abbreviation (used as a direction in actors' copies of plays) of Latin quando when
Origin 3: see cue:2
Origin 4: French queue, literally, tail, from Old French cue, coe, queue, from Latin cauda
Origin 5: see cue:4
Origin 6: From Middle English cu (used for half a farthing, from q as an abbreviation for Latin quadrāns (“quarter of an as”)),[1][2] from Latin cū, kū. Compare French ku.
Origin 7: From earlier qu, abbreviation of Latin quandō (“when”), marked on actor's play copy where they were to begin.[3]
Origin 8: Variant of queue, from French queue (“tail”).
First Known Use
circa 1755
1553
1922
circa 1749
circa 1784t
Common Questions About Cue
Is cue a noun or a verb?
Cue is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for cue?
Close synonyms of cue are prompt, clew and clue. See the full list of cue synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of cue?
The plural of cue is cues.
What is the past tense of cue?
The past tense of cue is cued. The present participle is cueing.