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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.
|
| 5. | Also called clout nail. a nail for attaching sheet metal to wood, having a short shank with a broad head. |
| 6. | Archaic.
|
–verb (used with object)
| 7. | to strike, esp. with the hand; cuff. |
| 8. | Archaic.
|
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE clūt piece of cloth or metal; c. MLG klūte, ON klūtr
bef. 900; ME; OE clūt piece of cloth or metal; c. MLG klūte, ON klūtr
Related forms:
clouter, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To clout
| clout (klout) n.
To hit, especially with the fist. [Middle English, probably from Old English clūt, cloth patch.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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