{
    "term": "cue",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "image": "data/images/ho/hobbies_darts_pool.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an action or event that is a signal for somebody to do something",
            "sensetop": "cue (for something)cue to do something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Jon's arrival was a cue for more champagne.",
                    "contextForm": "cue (for something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I think that's my cue to explain why I'm here.",
                    "contextForm": "cue to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her husband took his cue, and said that it was time for them to leave."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This remark provided the cue for the crowd to start jeering."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This was the cue for her to come into the room."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["visual"],
                "verb + cue": ["wait for", "follow", "take"],
                "preposition": ["on cue", "cue for"],
                "phrases": ["right on cue", "take your cue from somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a few words or an action in a play that is a signal for another actor to do something",
            "sensetop": "cue (to do something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She stood in the wings and waited for her cue to go on."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He had not yet been given the cue to go on to the stage."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Film and theatre"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["visual"],
                "verb + cue": ["wait for", "follow", "take"],
                "preposition": ["on cue", "cue for"],
                "phrases": ["right on cue", "take your cue from somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a long wooden stick with a leather tip, used for hitting the ball in the games of billiards, pool and snooker",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Sports: other sports"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "at exactly the moment you expect or that is appropriate",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘Where is that boy?’ As if on cue, Simon appeared in the doorway."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I can't just cry on cue!"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to copy what somebody else does as an example of how to behave or what to do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Investors are taking their cue from the big banks and selling dollars."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They all took their cue from their leader."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/kjuː/",
                "audio": "cu/cue/cue__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/kjuː/",
                "audio": "cu/cue/cue__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "noun senses 1 to 2 mid 16th cent.: of unknown origin. noun sense 3 mid 18th cent. (denoting a long plait or pigtail): variant of queue."
}