Clew — Defs

01 n. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.

1.
A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.
“Untwisting his deceitful clew.” — Spenser.
2.
That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the solution of a mystery.
“The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the vast and intricate maze of countinental politics, was in his hands.” — Macaulay.
3.
A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore-and-aft sail.(Naut.)

Phrases & compounds

Clew garnet — one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards.

Clew line — a rope by which a clew of one of the smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or royal, is run up to its yard.

Clew-line block — The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block.

02 v. t. To direct; to guide, as by a thread.

imp. & p. p. Clewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Clewing

1.
To direct; to guide, as by a thread.[Obs.]
“Direct and clew me out the way to happiness.” — Beau. & Fl.
2.
To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews of a square sail to the yard.(Naut.)

Phrases & compounds

To clew down — to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines.

To clew up — to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for furling.