cue

/kjuː/ (bre, ipa) · /kjuː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkyü/ (ame, mw)

cue — 名詞

  • cuesingular
  • cuesplural

1. a word, action, or sound in a play, film, or live show that tells a performer wh

1.名詞B1
釋義

提示；信號

表演中用來指示演員開始說話或動作的信號

a word, action, or sound in a play, film, or live show that tells a performer when to start speaking or doing something.

例句

The actor stood behind the curtain, waiting for her cue to step into the spotlight.

那演員站在簾幕後面，等待她的提示信號以便走進聚光燈下。

cue + to-infinitive for intended action

When the music stopped, that was the cue for the dancers to freeze in place.

音樂一停，那就是舞者們定格不動的信號。

cue + for + noun + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • signal

    more general; cue is a specific type of signal tied to performance timing

  • prompt

    often refers to reminding an actor of forgotten lines rather than signalling a start

文法句型

cue + to-infinitive

cue + for + noun + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Theatre and film performers rely on spoken lines, sound effects, or lighting changes as cues. Missing a cue causes an awkward pause on stage.

常見錯誤

❌The actor waited for his queue.
✅The actor waited for his cue.
💡'cue' and 'queue' sound the same but 'queue' means a line of people.

2. something — a look, a sound, or a change in a situation — that tells a person it

2.名詞B1
釋義

信號；徵兆

促使某人行動或反應的跡象

something — a look, a sound, or a change in a situation — that tells a person it is the right moment to start doing something.

例句

The dinner bell was the cue for the children to wash their hands and sit at the table.

晚餐鈴聲就是孩子們去洗手、坐到餐桌前的信號。

cue + for + noun + to-infinitive

When the teacher closed her book, that was the cue for the class to pack up.

老師闔上書本的那一刻，就是全班收拾東西的信號。

同義詞
  • signal

    nearly identical, though 'signal' can be more deliberate or technical

  • sign

    slightly broader — a sign can be any indicator, not necessarily one that prompts action

  • prompt

    focuses on causing or reminding someone to act, often verbally

文法句型

cue + to-infinitive

cue + for + noun + to-infinitive

用法筆記

This sense works in everyday life for any situation where one event signals that another should follow. Frequently appears with 'take…as a cue' or 'be the cue for'.

常見錯誤

❌I took his yawn as a queue that the meeting was boring.
✅I took his yawn as a cue that the meeting was boring.
💡'cue' means signal; 'queue' means a line.

3. a long, thin stick, usually made of wood with a leather tip at one end, used to

3.名詞B1
釋義

撞球桿

撞球、司諾克等運動用的長桿

a long, thin stick, usually made of wood with a leather tip at one end, used to push or hit the ball in games such as billiards, pool, and snooker.

例句

Felipe carefully aimed the cue and struck the white ball into the red ones.

Felipe 小心地瞄準球桿，把白色的球擊向紅色球。

A good pool player keeps the tip of the cue smooth and dusted with chalk.

好的撞球選手會保持球桿尖端平滑，並塗上粉筆。

collocation: cue tip / cue chalk

同義詞
  • cue stick

    full form, used for clarity

  • pool cue

    specifically for pool, not snooker or billiards

用法筆記

Also called a 'cue stick'. In pool halls and snooker clubs, the cue is a personal item that players often own and maintain themselves. The word 'cue' in this sense has a different origin from the theatre sense — it comes from French 'queue' meaning 'tail'.

常見錯誤

❌He hit the ball with a queue.
✅He hit the ball with a cue.
💡'cue' is the stick; 'queue' is a line of people.

cue — 動詞