Forms: 6 kew, ku, quew, 6–7 q, quue, 6–8 que, 7 Q, qu, kue, 6– cue. [Origin uncertain.
It has been taken as = F. queue tail (see next), on the ground that it is the tail or ending of the preceding speech; but no such use of queue has ever obtained in French (where the cue is called réplique), and no literal sense of queue or cue leading up to this appears in 16th c. English. On the other hand, in 16th and early 17th c. it is found written Q, q, or qu, and it was explained by 17th-c. writers as a contraction for some Latin word (sc. qualis, quando), said to have been used to mark in actors’ copies of plays, the points at which they were to begin. But no evidence confirming this has been found.
1625. Minsheu, Ductor, s. lit. Q, A qu, a terme vsed among Stage-plaiers, à Lat. Qualis, i. at what manner of word the Actors are to beginne to speake one after another hath done his speech.
1633. C. Butler, Eng. Gram., Q, a note of entrance for actors, because it is the first letter of quando, when, showing when to enter and speak.]
I. 1. Theatr. The concluding word or words of a speech in a play, serving as a signal or direction to another actor to enter, or begin his speech.
1553. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. xi. 31. Amen must be answered to the thanksgevyng not as to a mans q in a playe.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 186. Curst be thy stones for thus deceiving mee … Deceiuing me is Thisbies cue; she is to enter, and I am to spy her through the vvall.
1736. Fielding, Pasquin, II. i. That I might use him like a dog! Promp. … Where is this servant? Why don’t you mind your cue? Serv. O, ay, dog’s my cue.
1882. Daily Tel., 7 Dec., 2/5. The prompter was away, as we was acting that night; and the ‘cues’ were not properly given.
1884. G. Moore, Mummer’s Wife (1887), 121. ‘Cue for the soldier’s entrance,’ shouted the prompter.
b. Mus. A direction to enable a singer or player to come in at the right time after a long rest: see quot.
1879. Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 423/2. A few notes of some other part immediately preceding the entrance of his own are … printed small in the stave as a guide; and this is called a cue.
2. fig. A sign or intimation when to speak or act; a hint or guiding suggestion how to act, etc.
1565. Calfhill, Answ. to Martiall, 94 b. For he shut in one before, of purpose, to open it when hys quew came.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. iv. 27. Had you not come vpon your Q my Lord, William Lord Hastings had pronounc’d your part. Ibid. (1602), Ham., II. ii. 587. What would he doe, Had he the Motiue and the Cue for passion That I haue?
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf. (1630), 51. Herevpon my Companion taking his Q. It is not (quoth he) any lacke of … hanging in the aire.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 197. My merchant gave me my cue, and by his direction I answered.
a. 1734. North, Exam., II. iv. § 119 (1740), 293. Who was … to take his Ques from her, and to move and do as she inclined him.
1863. Whyte-Melville, Gladiators, II. 268. His comrades kept behind him, taking their cue from his conduct.
† b. A hint of what is coming, a premonition.
1647. H. Vaughan, Son-dayes, iii. A taste of Heav’n on earth; the pledge and Cue Of a full feast.
3. The part assigned one to play at a particular juncture; the proper or politic course to take.
1581. T. Howell, Deuises (1879), 194. Take heede therfore, and kepe each Cue so right, That Heauen for hyre vnto thy lotte may light.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. iii. 39. Mistris Page, remember you your Qu. Mist. Pag. I warrant thee, if I do not act it, hisse me. Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. ii. 147. Pat: he comes … my Cue is villanous Melancholly.
1605. Tryall Chev., III. ii. in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 308. It is thy q. to enter.
a. 1650. May, Satir. Puppy (1657), 23. It was their Qu’ now to fly … which they did with exquisite dissimulation.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, III. 312. You’re the Countess of C—’s youngest Daughter Jenny—That’s your Cue.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. x. 175. His cue would naturally be … to magnify the difficulties of the enterprise.
4. Humor, disposition, mood, frame of mind (proper to any action).
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., IX. (1593), 228. [He] did not watch Convenient time, in merrie kew at leasure him to catch.
1567. Drant, Horace Epist., II. ii. H v. Ech personage in his righte Quue take heede that thou dost frame.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 21. Men of greater size are seldome i’ the right cue.
1752. J. Newton, Lett. to Wife, 31 Oct. I should lay the paper aside till I were in a better cue.
1756. Toldervy, Two Orphans, I. 69. The ’squire being out of the cue, as he called it, for eating.
1851. Hawthorne, Ho. Sev. Gables, xix. 317. Was ever before such a grinding out of jigs and waltzes, where nobody was in the cue to dance?
5. Comb., as cue-call, -fellow.
1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 19. He could, and would relate (as other his cue-fellowes haue done) how hee came to that facility in his part, who were his prompters [etc.].
1881. Rossetti, Ballads & Sonnets, Sooth-say, vii. In the life-drama’s stern cue-call, A friend’s a part well-prized by all.
