cue Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech
  2. noun evidence that helps to solve a problem
    clew; clue.
  3. noun a stimulus that provides information about what to do
    discriminative stimulus.
  4. noun sports implement consisting of a tapering rod used to strike a cue ball in pool or billiards
    pool stick; cue stick; pool cue.
  5. verb assist (somebody acting or reciting) by suggesting the next words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned
    remind; prompt.

WordNet

Cue noun
Etymology
OF. coue, coe, F. queue, fr. L. coda, cauda, tail. Cf. Caudal, Coward, Queue.
Definitions
  1. The tail; the end of a thing; especially, a tail-like twist of hair worn at the back of the head; a queue.
  2. The last words of a play actor's speech, serving as an intimation for the next succeeding player to speak; any word or words which serve to remind a player to speak or to do something; a catchword.
    When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer. Shak.
  3. A hint or intimation.
    Give them [the servants] their cue to attend in two lines as he leaves the house. Swift.
  4. The part one has to perform in, or as in, a play.
    Were it my cueto fight, I should have known it Without a prompter. Shak.
  5. Humor; temper of mind. Colloq. Dickens.
  6. A straight tapering rod used to impel the balls in playing billiards.
Cue transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To form into a cue; to braid; to twist.
Cue noun
Etymology
From q, an abbreviation for quadrans a farthing.
Definitions
  1. A small portion of bread or beer; the quantity bought with a farthing or half farthing. Obs. ✍ The term was formerly current in the English universities, the letter q being the mark in the buttery books to denote such a portion. Nares.
    Hast thou worn Gowns in the university, tossed logic, Sucked philosophy, eat cues? Old Play.

Webster 1913