Olga
What is the difference between 'tip', 'advice', 'hint' and 'clue'?
Apr 14, 2023 4:16 PM
Answers · 6
1
Everything the other responders have said is true. Please note that a clue can also mean in daily colloquial usage and idea. "You have no idea" or "you do not know". "you have not got a clue" ="you have no idea or do not know anything"
April 14, 2023
All of these words convey suggestions or information meant to help someone or guide them towards a certain action or conclusion, but there are some subtle differences between them: Tip: A tip is a piece of information or advice that is usually given to someone who is already familiar with the topic, and it is meant to improve their performance or give them an edge in a particular situation. For example, a sports coach might give a tip to a player on how to improve their serve. Advice: Advice is more general and can refer to any kind of guidance or suggestion that someone gives to another person. It can be given in many different contexts, from personal relationships to professional settings. Advice often carries the connotation of being more formal or structured than a tip, and it is usually given by someone who is seen as an authority or expert in the field. Hint: A hint is a subtle suggestion or clue that is meant to guide someone towards a particular conclusion or course of action. Hints are often more indirect than tips or advice and may require the recipient to do some interpretation or detective work to understand their meaning. For example, a detective might drop a hint about a suspect's whereabouts to lead their team in the right direction. Clue: A clue is a piece of evidence or information that helps to solve a mystery or puzzle. Clues are usually more concrete than hints and are often used in the context of a crime or investigation. For example, a detective might find a clue at a crime scene that leads them to identify a suspect.
April 14, 2023
I'd say a tip is a bit of advice. "Advice" refers to the general idea, and it's an uncountable noun whereas "tip" is countable. That makes the usage different, but ultimately the ideas are the same. "Let me give you a tip." "Let me give you some advice." Those both mean the same thing. "Hint" and "clue" also mean essentially the same thing, but we tend to use them in different contexts. A teacher might give a student a hint to help him answer a question on his homework. A policeman finds a clue at a crime scene that leads him to the killer. You could switch the two words in those two sentences, and both would still mean the same thing. They just wouldn't sound quite as correct because of the context. Note that hint/clue and tip/advice do have different meanings. A tip is a matter of opinion or perhaps a fact the person didn't know, and it's aimed at helping that person. A hint is a bit of information that leads toward something else. Someone may give you a hint or you may find it yourself. "Hint", when used as a noun, does not necessarily imply that a person gave you the hint.
April 14, 2023
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April 15, 2023
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