flue
flue Lexical Profile
flue Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A duct, pipe, or enclosed passage inside a chimney or furnace that conveys smoke, exhaust gases, and heat from a fireplace, boiler, or stove to the outdoors.
"Before lighting the first fire of winter, the homeowner hired a sweep to inspect the chimney and clear the flue of any accumulated soot."
The narrow air passage or windway in an organ pipe through which a stream of air is directed against a sharp edge to produce musical sound.
"The organ builder carefully adjusted the width of the flue to ensure the pipe produced a clear, resonant tone."
Soft down, lint, fluff, or fine loose hair.
"A thin layer of dusty flue had gathered beneath the antique wardrobe."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'flue' (a chimney duct) with its homophones 'flu' (influenza) and 'flew' (the past tense of 'fly').
• Rhymes for flue
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 16th century; of uncertain origin, possibly from Old French 'fluer' (to flow), from Latin 'fluere', or from Middle Low German 'vloge' (a chimney duct).