cue

¹ American  

[kyoo] / kyu /

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.

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verb (used with object)

cued, cuing

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 orinto ).

   to cue in a lighting effect.

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

idioms

1. 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.

2. cue (someone) in, to inform; give instructions, information, news, etc., to.

   Cue him in on the plans for the dance.

cue ² American  

[kyoo] / kyu /

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.

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verb (used with object)

cued, cuing

1. to tie into a queue.

2. to strike with a cue.

cue ³ American  

[kyoo] / kyu /

noun

1. the letter Q, q.

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cue ¹ British  

/ 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

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verb

1. (tr) to give a cue or cues to (an actor)

2. 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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to drive (a ball) with a cue

2. (tr) to twist or tie (the hair) into a cue

Usage

What does cue mean? A cue is any planned action that triggers an actor’s response or line of dialogue in performance art, as in I’m so embarrassed that I missed my cue to walk on stage!A cue is more generally something that triggers an action, as in The teacher handing out the test was our cue to put our books away. A cue can also be a hint, I should have seen my mother’s angry face as my cue to apologize. To cue means to provide a hint or prompt for an action, as in The actors cued each other during rehearsal so they could memorize all the cues. To cue can also mean to insert or direct to come in, as in Cue the music, and raise the curtain!Example: Juan came in on cue but flubbed his line, so we had to reshoot the scene.

Etymology

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

Explanation

A cue is the long stick used for playing pool. A cue is also a reminder or stimulus to do something. In pool, you use the cue to hit the white ball into the red ball, aiming for a pocket. Other cues make things happen too. In acting, a lighting change or another actor's line could be a cue for you to enter the stage. During rehearsal, the actors need to learn their cues to make sure their timing is right. A cue can also be a clue or reminder of something. Anytime someone has good timing, they're on cue.

Example Sentences

As a further effort by America’s oldest orchestra to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, Lang takes his cue from Adam Smith.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

"Wally came over for three weeks to teach the whole team how to use cue cards," Marlow says.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

For example, subtle scents that cue feelings of relaxation or trust, atomized into an establishment, might cue visitors to stay longer and shop or purchase more, or associate the brand with a sense of well-being.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

For high-income earners, especially those nearing or already in retirement, this is your cue to update the tax playbook.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

On cue, the giant tried to stomp on the Amagqirha.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

Related Words

• clue
• hint
• suggestion