English edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle English glew, glu, etc.

Noun edit

glew (countable and uncountable, plural glews)

  1. Obsolete form of glue.[1]
    • 1764, Edmund Burke, Dodsley's annual register: Volume 1758, Part 1, page 385:
      When the painting is originally on wood, it must be first detached from the ceiling or wainscot where it was fixed; and the surface of it covered with a linen cloth, cemented to it by means of glew []
  2. Obsolete form of solder. (used in alchemy)
    • 1677, Otto Tachenius, Hippocrates Chymicus, pages 113-114:
      Now Gold is easily associated to and with Copper; and so fit a cuspe, or point made of Gold to this Cupreous Iron; and with Borax and Golden Solidature or Soder (Gold Glew, which is made of Copper Money, a little Silver and Gold melted at the Eye is better) melt it after the accustomed manner, in a fitting Coal-fire, and then you shall have the Golden Nail so much spoken of.

Etymology 2 edit

Either formed on the analogy of know, grow (and other verbs which are now weak in the standard such as crow, mow) or inherited from Middle English glew, glewe (glowed), in turn from Old English glēow (glowed), past tense of Old English glōwan (to glow).

Verb edit

glew

  1. (dialectal) simple past of glow

References edit

Middle English edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Old French glu, from Late Latin glūs, from Latin glūten, from Proto-Italic *gloiten.

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

glew (plural glewes)

  1. A adhesive or adherent; something that binds:
    1. glue; a substance designed to adhere two things together.
    2. birdlime; a trap or capturing mechanism.
      • a. 1384, John Wyclif, “On Dai of Many Martris [On the Day of Many Martyrs]”, in Thomas Arnold, editor, Select English Works of John Wyclif, volume I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1869, page 223:
        Cunne we wel Goddis lawe, and loke wher Fariseis grounden hem in it; and if þei done not, flee we her sentence as heresie or fendis glewe.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    3. A tar or resin; any natural adherent.
Related terms edit
Descendants edit
  • English: glue
  • Scots: glue

References edit

Etymology 2 edit

Noun edit

glew

  1. Alternative form of gleu.

Etymology 3 edit

Verb edit

glew

  1. Alternative form of glewen (to play music, have fun).

Etymology 4 edit

Verb edit

glew

  1. Alternative form of glewen (to glue).

Welsh edit

Etymology edit

Cognate with Cora glew (keen, sharp), Old Irish gleo (struggle), from Proto-Celtic *gliwā, from Proto-Indo-European *ģley- (to rush, attack). Cognate with Old English gléaw (wise, prudent).

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “GPC gives the etymology above; however, the semantic and phonetic relation with "gléaw" doesn't seem certain, and the proto-form GPC gives is different than that given for "gléaw".”

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

glew (feminine singular glew, plural glewion, equative glewed, comparative glewach, superlative glewaf)

  1. brave, bold

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Mutation edit

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
glew lew nglew unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References edit

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “glew”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies