cue

¹

[ kyoo ]

noun

1. anything said or done, on or off stage, that is followed by a specific line or action:

   An off-stage door slam was his cue to enter.

   Synonyms: signal

2. anything that excites to action; stimulus.
3. a hint; intimation; guiding suggestion.

   Synonyms: inkling, tip, key, hint, sign

4. the part a person is to play; a prescribed or necessary course of action.
5. a sensory signal used to identify experiences, facilitate memory, or organize responses.
6. Archaic. frame of mind; mood.

verb (used with object)

, cued, cu·ing.

1. to provide with a cue or indication; give a cue to; prompt:

   Will you cue me on my lines?

2. to insert, or direct to come in, in a specific place in a musical or dramatic performance (usually followed by in or into ):

   to cue in a lighting effect.

3. to search for and reach (a specific track on a recording) (sometimes followed by up ).

cue

²

[ kyoo ]

noun

1. a long, tapering rod, tipped with a soft leather pad, used to strike the ball in billiards, pool, etc.
2. a long, usually wooden stick with a concave head, used to propel the disks in shuffleboard.
3. a queue or braid of hair worn behind the head.
4. a queue or file, as of persons awaiting their turn.

verb (used with object)

, cued, cu·ing.

1. to tie into a queue.
2. to strike with a cue.

cue

³

[ kyoo ]

noun

1. the letter Q, q.

cue

¹

/ kjuː /

noun

1. 1. (in the theatre, films, music, etc) anything spoken or done that serves as a signal to an actor, musician, etc, to follow with specific lines or action
   2. at the right moment
2. a signal or reminder to do something
3. psychol the part of any sensory pattern that is identified as the signal for a response
4. the part, function, or action assigned to or expected of a person

verb

1. tr to give a cue or cues to (an actor)
2. usually foll byin or into to signal (to something or somebody) at a specific moment in a musical or dramatic performance

   to cue in a flourish of trumpets

3. tr to give information or a reminder to (someone)
4. intr to signal the commencement of filming, as with the word "Action!"

cue

²

/ kjuː /

noun

1. billiards snooker a long tapered shaft with a leather tip, used to drive the balls
2. hair caught at the back forming a tail or braid
3. a variant spelling of queue

verb

1. to drive (a ball) with a cue
2. tr to twist or tie (the hair) into a cue

Word History and Origins

Origin of cue¹

First recorded in 1545–55; spelled name of the letter q as an abbreviation (found in acting scripts) of Latin quandō “when”

Origin of cue²

First recorded in 1740–50; from French queue “tail,” Old French cöe, coue, from Latin cōda, popular form of cauda “tail”; coward, queue

Origin of cue³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English cu; conventional adaptation in spelling of the letter name

Word History and Origins

Origin of cue¹

C16: probably from name of the letter q, used in an actor's script to represent Latin quando when

Origin of cue²

C18: variant of queue

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cue (someone) in, Informal. to inform; give instructions, information, news, etc., to:

   Cue him in on the plans for the dance.

2. miss a cue,
   1. to fail to respond to a cue.
   2. Informal. to miss the point:

      You could tell by his expression that he had missed a cue.

Example Sentences

Washington says that might be his favorite cue in the whole movie.

From Los Angeles Times

“She’s telling this reason why she can’t engage with the piano,” the director explains, “that her mother used to play, and it will wake these spirits up. He wrote this incredible cue that’s so simple and haunting, but it just grows, and it’s rhythmic. I didn’t hear that until we recorded the score. He just pulled it out of his back pocket — like, ‘I had an idea, I want you to hear it.’”

From Los Angeles Times

“Nanette” began as a complete nightmare for Gadsby, on stage back in Perth, Australia, with just a handful of joke ideas and pertinent painful talking points on cue cards — and slowly evolved — over more than 250 live performances.

From Los Angeles Times

As if on cue, Lafferty texts Murray while we’re discussing the topic.

From Los Angeles Times

The coach seemed to even cough on cue when asked about the flu.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clue
• hint
• suggestion