Clue vs Imply - What's the difference?
clue | imply |
A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
* 1897 , Henry James, What Maisie Knew :
Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
(slang) Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)
To provide with a clue.
To provide someone with information which he or she lacks (often used with "in" or "up").
(of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence
(of a person) to suggest by logical inference
(of a person or proposition) to hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement
(archaic) to enfold, entangle.
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.iv:
As verbs the difference between clue and imply
is that clue is to provide with a clue while imply is to have as a necessary consequence.As a noun clue
is a strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.clue
English
Noun
(en noun)- she had even had in the past a small smug conviction that in the domestic labyrinth she always kept the clue .
Synonyms
* (information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion) hint, indication, suggestion * (object or indication which may be used as evidence) signatureDerived terms
* * clueless * cluestick / clue stick * cluey * have a clue * not have a clueSee also
* evidence * red herringVerb
- The crossword compiler wasn't sure how to clue the word "should".
- Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.
Derived terms
* clued-in * clued-upimply
English
Verb
(en-verb)- The proposition that "all dogs are mammals" implies that my dog is a mammal
- When I state that your dog is brown, I am not implying that all dogs are brown
- What do you mean "we need to be more careful with hygiene"? Are you implying that I don't wash my hands?
- And in his bosome secretly there lay / An hatefull Snake, the which his taile vptyes / In many folds, and mortall sting implyes .