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clout - 5 dictionary results

clout

[klout]
–noun
1. a blow, esp. with the hand; cuff: The bully gave him a painful clout on the head.
2. Informal. pull; strong influence; muscle, esp. political power: a wealthy campaign contributor with clout at city hall.
3. Baseball. a long hit, esp. an extra-base hit: A hard clout to deep center field drove in the winning run.
4. Archery.
a. the mark or target shot at, esp. in long-distance shooting.
b. a shot that hits the mark.
5. Also called clout nail. a nail for attaching sheet metal to wood, having a short shank with a broad head.
6. Archaic.
a. a patch or piece of cloth or other material used to mend something.
b. any worthless piece of cloth; rag.
c. an article of clothing (usually used contemptuously).
–verb (used with object)
7. to strike, esp. with the hand; cuff.
8. Archaic.
a. to bandage.
b. to patch; mend.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE clūt piece of cloth or metal; c. MLG klūte, ON klūtr


clouter, noun
clout   (klout)   
n.  
  1. A blow, especially with the fist.
    1. Baseball A long powerful hit.
    2. Sports An archery target.
    3. Influence; pull: "Women in dual-earner households are gaining in job status and earnings ... giving them more clout at work and at home" (Sue Shellenbarger).
    4. Power; muscle.
  2. Informal
    1. Influence; pull: "Women in dual-earner households are gaining in job status and earnings ... giving them more clout at work and at home" (Sue Shellenbarger).
    2. Power; muscle.
  3. Chiefly Midland U.S. A piece of cloth, especially a baby's diaper.
tr.v.   clout·ed, clout·ing, clouts
To hit, especially with the fist.

[Middle English, probably from Old English clūt, cloth patch.]

Clout

Clout\, n. [AS. cl[=u]t a little cloth, piece of metal; cf. Sw. klut, Icel. kl[=u]tr a kerchief, or W. clwt a clout, Gael. clud.]

1. A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.

His garments, nought but many ragged clouts, With thorns together pinned and patched was. --Spenser.

A clout upon that head where late the diadem stood. --Shak.

2. A swadding cloth.

3. A piece; a fragment. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

4. The center of the butt at which archers shoot; -- probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.

A'must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout. --Shak.

5. An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer.

6. A blow with the hand. [Low]

Clout nail, a kind of wrought-iron nail heaving a large flat head; -- used for fastening clouts to axletrees, plowshares, etc., also for studding timber, and for various purposes.

Clout

Clout\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clouted; p. pr. & vb. n. Clouting.] [OE. clutien. clouten, to patch. See Clout, n.]

1. To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage; patch, or mend, with a clout.

And old shoes and clouted upon their feet. --Josh. ix. 5.

Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in . . . clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers. --Latimer.

2. To join or patch clumsily.

If fond Bavius vent his clouted song. --P. Fletcher

3. To quard with an iron plate, as an axletree.

4. To give a blow to; to strike. [Low]

The . . . queen of Spain took off one of her chopines and clouted Olivarez about the noddle with it. --Howell.

5. To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.

Clouted cream, clotted cream, i. e., cream obtained by warming new milk. --A. Philips.

Note: "Clouted brogues" in Shakespeare and "clouted shoon" in Milton have been understood by some to mean shoes armed with nails; by others, patched shoes.

clout 
O.E. clut "lump of something," also "patch of cloth put over a hole to mend it," from P.Gmc. *klutaz. Sense of "a blow" is from early 14c., but the metaphor is obscure. Sense of "personal influence" is 1958.
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