noun

cue

Translation

cue, signal, prompt, hint

The actor missed his cue to enter the stage.

Her yawn was my cue to leave the party.

He chalked the tip of his cue before the shot.

a cue ((for sb.)) ((to-inf)) a signal for someone to do something Her yawn was a cue for me to leave.

a cue ((for sth.)) a hint or suggestion about something The dark clouds were a cue for a storm.

Synonyms: signal, prompt, hint, sign

The 'signal' sense is from the letter 'Q', for Latin 'quando' (when) in actors' scripts. The 'stick' sense is from French 'queue' (tail).

Think of the letter 'Q' in a queue (line), waiting for the signal to go. Or a billiards cue waiting for the player's action.