Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLOO, CLUE, n. [klu:]

1. A ball of straw-rope used in thatching stacks. Eng. clew = a ball of thread.  Bnff. 1926 E. S. Rae in Bnffsh. Jnl. (14 Dec.):
I' the cornyard wi' clue an' eddrin' Rapin' doon the thack.Abd.(D) 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 170:
Some fowk wur verra partic'lar aboot their rapes, an' wid 'a' likeit them a' ae thickness an' the cloos a' ae len'th, an' sic like.

Phr.: to wine (win(d)) the blue clue, see Blue Clue.

2. In phr. to get clue o' to get a hold of, get a grasp on, get into one's clutches. Ags. 1881 A. S. Watt Smiddy Tam 3: 
A wild an' reckless life you've pass'd, But I [the Devil]'ve got clue o' ye at last.