different between harbinger vs clue

English

Etymology

Originally, a person that is sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from Frankish *heriberga (“lodging, inn”, literally “army shelter”), from Proto-Germanic *harjaz (“army”) + *bergô (“protection”). Compare German Herberge, Italian albergo, Dutch herberg, English harbor. More at here, borrow.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??b?nd??/
• (US) enPR: här?b?nj?r, IPA^(key): /?h??b?nd???/

Noun

harbinger (plural harbingers)

1. (usually in the plural) A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.

   Synonyms: forewarning, herald, omen, premonition, sign, signal, prophet

   • 1828, Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations, Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney

     I knew by these harbingers who were coming.
2. (obsolete) One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.
   • 1644, Thomas Fuller, Truth Maintained (a sermon)

     outward decency […] is the Harbinger to provide the lodging for inward holinesse

Translations

Verb

harbinger (third-person singular simple present harbingers, present participle harbingering, simple past and past participle harbingered)

1. (transitive) To announce or precede; to be a harbinger of.

   Synonym: herald

Translations

See also

• bellwether

Further reading

• Harbinger in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
• harbinger in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

Variant of clew (“a ball of thread or yarn”), from Middle English clewe, from Old English cl?ewen (“ball”), from Proto-Germanic *kliuw?n?, *klewô (“ball, bale”), from Proto-Indo-European *glew- (“to amass, conglomerate; clump, ball, bale”). Sense evolution with reference to the one which the mythical Theseus used to guide him out of the Minotaur's labyrinth. More at clew.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klu?/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /klju?/
• Rhymes: -u?
• Homophone: clew

Noun

clue (plural clues)

1. (now rare) A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
2. Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.

3. An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.

4. Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)

Synonyms

• (information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion): hint, indication, suggestion
• (object or indication which may be used as evidence): signature
• (understanding): idea

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• evidence
• red herring

Verb

clue (third-person singular simple present clues, present participle cluing or clueing, simple past and past participle clued)

1. To provide with a clue.

2. To provide someone with information which he or she lacks (often used with "in" or "up").

Derived terms

• clue in
• clued up

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Luce, leuc-, luce

Latin

Verb

clu?

1. second-person singular present active imperative of clue?

Middle English

Noun

clue

1. Alternative form of clewe