cue
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a signal, such as a word or action, that tells you it is time to do something.
n.a signal, whether verbal or physical, that serves as an indicator for a person to begin a specific action or speech.
Simple“The actor waited for his cue before walking onto the stage.”
In context“The conductor gave a sharp nod as a cue for the woodwind section to begin their solo passage.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'for' or 'to'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small sign or hint in a situation that helps you understand what is happening.
n.an indirect suggestion or environmental stimulus that provides information about how to behave or respond.
Simple“I missed the social cues and didn't realize she was upset.”
In context“Infants rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and tone of voice, to interpret their parents' emotions.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a long, thin wooden stick used to hit the ball in games like pool, snooker, or billiards.
n.a long, tapering wooden rod used to strike the cue ball in various billiard sports.
Simple“He chalked the tip of his cue before taking the final shot.”
In context“Professional players often travel with their own custom-made cues to ensure consistent weight and balance during tournaments.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give someone a signal to start doing something.
v.to provide a prompt or signal to an individual, particularly in a performance or broadcasting context.
Simple“The director will cue the lights to dim as the music starts.”
In context“The floor manager will cue the presenter once the commercial break has ended and the cameras are live again.”
UsageOften used as a phrasal verb 'cue up' when referring to preparing media for playback.
Usage cue lead · take cue · visual cue
From Middle English cu (used for half a farthing, from q as an abbreviation for Latin quadrāns (“quarter of an as”)), from Latin cū, kū. Compare French ku.
From earlier qu, abbreviation of Latin quandō (“when”), marked on actor's play copy where they were to begin.
Variant of queue, from French queue (“tail”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.