Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense cues, present participle cueing, past tense, past participle cued
1. countable noun [oft with poss]
In the theatre or in a musical performance, a performer's cue is something another performer says or does that is a signal for them to begin speaking, playing, or doing something.
The actors not performing sit at the side of the stage in full view, waiting fortheir cues.
I had never known him miss a cue.
2. verb
If one performer cues another, they say or do something which is a signal for the second performer to begin speaking, playing, or doing something.
He read the scene, with Seaton cueing him. [VERB noun]
3. countable noun [NOUN to-infinitive]
If you say that something that happens is a cuefor an action, you mean that people start doing that action when it happens.
That was the cue for several months of intense bargaining. [+ for]
That was Nicholas's cue to ask for another chocolate chip cookie.
4. countable noun
A cue is a long, thin wooden stick that is used to hit the ball in games such as snooker, billiards, and pool.
Their youngest brother was nine when he picked up a cue for the first time.
5.
See on cue/as if on cue
6.
See take one's cue from
More Synonyms of cue
cue in British English1
(kjuː)
noun
1. on cue
2.
a signal or reminder to do something
3. psychology
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
verbWord forms: cues, cueing or cued
5. (transitive)
to give a cue or cues to (an actor)
6. (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
7. (transitive)
to give information or a reminder to (someone)
8. (intransitive)
to signal the commencement of filming, as with the word "Action!"
Word origin
C16: probably from name of the letter q, used in an actor's script to represent Latin quando when
cue in British English2
(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. US a variant spelling of queue
verbWord forms: cues, cueing or cued
4.
to drive (a ball) with a cue
5. (transitive)
to twist or tie (the hair) into a cue
Word origin
C18: variant of queue
cue in American English1
(kju)
noun
1.
a bit of dialogue, action, or music that is a signal for an actor's entrance or speech, or for the working of curtains, lights, sound effects, etc.
2. Music
a gesture or written device used to signal the entry of one or more instrumentalists or vocalists
3.
anything serving as a signal to do something
4.
an indirect suggestion; hint
5. Rare
a.
the role that one is assigned to play
b.
a necessary course of action
6. Archaic
frame of mind; mood; temperament
7. Psychology
a secondary stimulus that guides behavior, often without entering consciousness
verb transitiveWord forms: cued, ˈcuing or ˈcueing
8.
to give a cue to
Idioms:
cue in
Word origin
< q, Q, used in plays in 16th & 17th c. to indicate actors' entrances; prob. abbrev. ofsome L word (as quando, when, qualis, in what manner)
cue in American English2
(kju)
noun
1.
queue (sense 1)
2.
a long, tapering, tipped rod used in billiards and pool to strike the cue ball
3.
a long, shovel-like stick used in shuffleboard to push the disks
verb transitiveWord forms: cued, ˈcuing or ˈcueing
4.
to braid (hair)
5.
to strike (a cue ball) with a cue
Word origin
var. of queue
Examples of 'cue' in a sentence
cue
So why did the emperor of the unexpected elect to give the cue away?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
People take their cues about whether to respect a leader from the leader himself.
Christianity Today (2000)
That can only be a cue for one man.
The Sun (2009)
Take a cue from your other half and mirror her style.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Her behaviour should give you important cues.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It has all the right cues for young people.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Cue panic and people calling an ambulance.
The Sun (2012)
The cast stand about awkwardly, dropping props and cues left and right.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Cue another scribbled diagram: she evidently does her research.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
One way of finding a good flavour match is to take your cue from the other ingredients that cheese is often served with.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Right on cue for the Chelsea flower show the weather is set to blossom in the coming week.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I asked how he could still pick up his musical cues.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I would request another or cue option and hopefully an apology for this very poor advice.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Play was held up for 20 minutes amid accusations he picked off the tip of his cue as he struggled for form.
The Sun (2006)
Cue one of you spending an hour after dinner composing a grumpy email to the restaurant, while the other takes the bin out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One takes one 's cue from them, surely.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
cue
British English: cue /kjuː/ NOUN
A cue is something said or done by a performer that is a signal for another performer to begin speaking or to begin doing something.
He never missed a cue.
American English: cue
Arabic: إِشَارَة
Brazilian Portuguese: dica
Chinese: 提示
Croatian: znak
Czech: narážka na divadle
Danish: stikord
Dutch: seintje
European Spanish: pie
Finnish: aloitusmerkki
French: signal théâtre
German: Einsatzzeichen
Greek: ατάκα
Italian: battuta d'entrata
Japanese: キュー
Korean: 신호
Norwegian: vink
Polish: sygnał do rozpoczęcia
European Portuguese: dica
Romanian: replicăale unui actor
Russian: реплика
Latin American Spanish: indicación
Swedish: stickreplik
Thai: การเตือน
Turkish: replik
Ukrainian: натяк
Vietnamese: sự ra hiệu
British English: cue VERB
If one performer cues another, they say or do something which is a signal for the second performer to begin speaking, playing, or doing something.
He read the scene, with the director cueing him.
American English: cue
Brazilian Portuguese: dar a deixa
Chinese: 提示为下一位演员
European Spanish: dar la entrada a
French: donner un signal à
German: das Stichwort geben
Italian: dare la battuta d'entrata a
Japanese: キューを出す
Korean: 큐를 보내다
European Portuguese: dar a deixa
Latin American Spanish: dar la entrada a
All related terms of 'cue'
cue in
to add ( dialogue , music, etc.) at a particular point in a script
on cue
(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
cue bid
a bid in a suit made to show an ace or a void in that suit
cue ball
the ball struck by the cue , as distinguished from the object balls
cue card
a card, unseen by the audience , carrying dialogue , lyrics , etc. as an aid to a television performer
billiard cue
a long cue used for playing billiards
on cue/as if on cue
If you say that something happened on cue or as if on cue , you mean that it happened just when it was expected to happen, or just at the right time.
take one's cue from
If you take your cue from someone or something, you do something similar in a particular situation .
Chinese translation of 'cue'
cue
(kjuː)
n(c)
(in theatre) 提示 (tíshì)
(= stick) 球杆(桿) (qíugān) (根, gēn)
(fig)
a cue for sth/to do sth某事/做某事的暗示 (mǒushì/zuò mǒushì de ànshì) (个(個), gè)
to take one's cue from sb (fig) 以某人为(為)榜样(樣) (yǐ mǒurén wéi bǎngyàng)
on cue (= at the expected time) 就在这(這)时(時) (jiù zài zhèshí)
(noun)
Definition
a signal or reminder
He took this as his cue to leave.
Synonyms
signal
You mustn't fire without my signal.
sign
His face and movements rarely betrayed any sign of nerves.
nod
Then, at a nod from their leader, they all sat.
hint
I'd dropped a hint about having an exhibition of his work.
prompt
Her blushes were saved by a prompt from her host.
reminder
They are about to be given a sharp reminder.
suggestion
There is absolutely no suggestion of any mainstream political party involvement.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of hint
Definition
a suggestion given in an indirect or subtle manner
I'd dropped a hint about having an exhibition of his work.
Synonyms
clue,
mention,
suggestion,
implication,
indication,
reminder,
tip-off,
pointer,
allusion,
innuendo,
inkling,
intimation,
insinuation,
word to the wise
in the sense of nod
Definition
a quick down-and-up movement of the head, in agreement