A Quick and Simple Dictionary

clew

1. Noun.  (obsolete) A roughly spherical mass or body.
2. Noun.  (archaic) A ball of thread or yarn.
3. Noun.  Yarn or thread as used to guide one's way through a maze or labyrinth; a guide, a clue.
4. Noun.  (nautical) The lower corner(s) of a sail to which a sheet is attached for trimming the sail (adjusting its position relative to the wind); the metal loop or cringle in the corner of the sail, to which the sheet is attached. On a triangular sail, the '''clew''' is the trailing corner relative to the wind direction.
5. Noun.  (in the plural) The sheets so attached to a sail.
6. Noun.  (nautical, in plural) The cords suspending a hammock.
7. Noun.  (archaic form of, clue) .
8. Verb.  (transitive) to roll into a ball.
9. Verb.  (nautical) ''(transitive and intransitive)'' to raise the lower corner(s) of (a sail).