clue-by-four en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
Blend of clue + two-by-four.
Meanings
-
(figuratively, humorous, informal) A notional weapon used to knock sense into the clueless.
1998, TCurryFan, Re: Carlos and Ashley?, alt.fan.power-rangers, http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.power-rangers/msg/46e0bac76b6c462d?dmode=source&hl=en Nah... I'm not gonna waste a good clue-by-four on someone with no brain...
Sometimes the magic "clue-by-four" is so obvious that even your oblivious rock-headed uncle picks up on it.
2003, Willow Polson, The Veil's Edge: Exploring the Boundaries of Magic, page 152:We also keep a traditional clue-by-four and a training brick. You know, for when the problem is wetware-related.
2025 February 26, AngryCod, “Comment on 'When Marketing decided to touch the database'”, in r/talesfromtechsupport, Reddit, retrieved 01 Mar 2025:If I think they're a jerk who's using a march to show how cool and open minded they are, I pull out the ol' clue by four.
1993, anonymous author, “Re: Recent Events from the Horseman”, in alt.sex.bondage (Usenet):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| clue-by-fours | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| clue by four | alternative | lexicographic |