different between intelligence vs clue

English

Etymology

From Old French intelligence, from Latin intelligentia. Doublet of intelligentsia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?t?l.?.d???ns/

Noun

intelligence (countable and uncountable, plural intelligences)

1. (chiefly uncountable) Capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend and learn.
   • 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 5

     Not so, however, with Tarzan, the man-child. His life amidst the dangers of the jungle had taught him to meet emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers of the apes.
2. (countable) An entity that has such capacities.

   • The great Intelligences fair / That range above our mortal state, / In circle round the blessed gate, / Received and gave him welcome there.
3. (chiefly uncountable) Information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.
4. (countable) A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.
5. (dated) Acquaintance; intercourse; familiarity.

Synonyms

• (capacity of mind): wit, intellect, brightness
• (entity): see Thesaurus:sentient
• See also Thesaurus:intelligence

Derived terms

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin intelligentia (“the act of choosing between, intelligence”), from intelleg? (“understand”), from inter (“between”) + leg? (“choose, pick out, read”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.t?.li.???s/, /??.te.li.???s/

Noun

intelligence f (plural intelligences)

1. intelligence; cleverness
2. comprehension

Derived terms

• être d'intelligence
• intelligence artificielle

Further reading

• “intelligence” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English intelligence.

Noun

intelligence f (invariable)

1. A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information.

Middle French

Noun

intelligence f (plural intelligences)

1. intelligence
2. comprehension

Old French

Noun

intelligence f (oblique plural intelligences, nominative singular intelligence, nominative plural intelligences)

1. comprehension
2. meaning
3. ability to comprehend

Descendants

• ? English: intelligence
• French: intelligence

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (intelligence, supplement)

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