glue

[gloo] /glu/

noun

a hard, impure, protein gelatin, obtained by boiling skins, hoofs, and other animal substances in water, that when melted or diluted is a strong adhesive.

any of various solutions or preparations of this substance, used as an adhesive.

any of various other solutions or preparations that can be used as adhesives.

verb (used with object), glued, gluing.

to join or fasten with glue.

to cover or smear (something) with glue (sometimes followed by up).

to fix or attach firmly with or as if with glue; make adhere closely:

to glue a model ship together.

Origin

1300-50; (noun) Middle English glu, gleu < Old French glu < Latin glūt- (stem of glūs); cognate with Greek gloiós gum, anything sticky; (v.) Middle English glywen, glewen, derivative of the noun

Related forms

gluelike, adjective

gluer, noun

reglue, verb (used with object), reglued, regluing.

Synonyms

4. paste, gum, stick, cement, plaster.

Examples from the web for glue

Some of the glue affected the paint, causing small blisters in places.
Wire, glue and tape fastened the fragile creations together, and backdrops of the heavens teetered against wine bottles.
Clumping is a community event and the conversations during the clumping are the glue that keeps us together.
The birds glue their nests hundreds of feet high on sheer cave walls.
Dip the wire into the glue, then insert the wire partway though the stem end.
Drip glue inside each dowel hole and pound dowels into place with a mallet.
Apply dabs of hot glue to ends of magnolia leaves, then tuck leaves in between fir branches.
And don't use a food processor on any potato unless you want glue.
While the adults mingle, let the younger set glue the pieces together.
Secure mementos or seasonal elements to backing with glue dots or tape.

British Dictionary definitions for glue

glue

/ɡluː/

noun

any natural or synthetic adhesive, esp a sticky gelatinous substance prepared by boiling animal products such as bones, skin, and horns

any other sticky or adhesive substance

verb glues, gluing, glueing, glued

(transitive) to join or stick together with or as if with glue

Derived Forms

gluelike, adjective
gluer, noun
gluey, adjective

Word Origin

C14: from Old French glu, from Late Latin glūs; compare Greek gloios

Word Origin and History for glue

early 13c., from Old French glu "birdlime" (12c.), from Late Latin glutem (nominative glus) "glue," from Latin gluten "glue, beeswax," from PIE *gleit- "to glue, paste" (cf. Lithuanian glitus "sticky," glitas "mucus;" Old English cliða "plaster"), from root *glei- "to stick together" (see clay). In reference to glue from boiled animal hoofs and hides, c.1400. Glue-sniffing attested from 1963.

late 14c., from Old French gluer, from glu (see glue (n.)). Related: Glued; gluing.

glue in Technology

jargon
A generic term for any interface logic or protocol that connects two component blocks. For example, Blue Glue is IBM's SNA protocol, and hardware designers call anything used to connect large VLSI's or circuit blocks "glue logic".
[Jargon File]
(1999-02-22)