glue

UK: /ˈgluː/ US: /glu/ ,(glo̅o̅)

Inflections of 'glue' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

glues

v 3rd person singular

gluing

v pres p

glued

v past

glued

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

glue /glu/   n., v., glued, glu•ing. 
n. [uncountable]

1. Chemistry a hard protein gelatin substance, obtained naturally by boiling skins, hoofs, and other animal substances in water or prepared artificially, used as a strong adhesive.

v. [~ + object]

2. to join or attach firmly with or as if with glue:
   to glue a label on a package; The kids' eyes were glued to the TV screen.

glue•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

glue  (glo̅o̅), n., v., glued, glu•ing. 
n. 

1. a hard, impure, protein gelatin, obtained by boiling skins, hoofs, and other animal substances in water, that when melted or diluted is a strong adhesive.
2. any of various solutions or preparations of this substance, used as an adhesive.
3. any of various other solutions or preparations that can be used as adhesives.

v.t. 

4. to join or fasten with glue.
5. to cover or smear (something) with glue (sometimes fol. by up).
6. to fix or attach firmly with or as if with glue;
   make adhere closely:
   to glue a model ship together.

• Latin glūt- (stem of glūs); cognate with Greek gloiós gum, anything sticky; (verb, verbal) Middle English glywen, glewen, derivative of the noun, nominal
• Old French glu
• (noun, nominal) Middle English glu, gleu 1300–50

glue′like′, adj. 
glu′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 4. paste, gum, stick, cement, plaster.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

glue / ɡluː/ noun

1. any natural or synthetic adhesive, esp a sticky gelatinous substance prepared by boiling animal products such as bones, skin, and horns
2. any other sticky or adhesive substance

verb (glues, gluing, glueing, glued)

1. (transitive) to join or stick together with or as if with glue

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French glu, from Late Latin glūs; compare Greek gloios

ˈglueˌlike adjective

ˈgluer noun

ˈgluey, ˈglueish adjective

ˈgluily adverb

ˈglueyness, ˈgluiness noun