CLEWING

Verb

clewing

present participle of clew

Source: Wiktionary

CLEW

Clew, Clue, n. Etym: [OE. clewe, clowe, clue, AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen, OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, knäuel, and perch. to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor. Perch. akin to E. claw. *26. Cf. Knawel.]

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. (Naut.) (a.)

Definition: A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore- and-aft sail. (b.)

Definition: A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail. (c.)

Definition: A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended. Clew garnet (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards.

– Clew line (Naut.), 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 (Naut.), The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block.

Clew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. & vb. n. Clewing.] Etym: [Cf. D. kluwenen. See Clew, n.]

1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.] Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. Beau. && Fl.

2. (Naut.)

Definition: 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. To clew down (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines.

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

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition