Clout n.
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.]
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, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clouted; p. pr. & vb. n. Clouting.]
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.
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.
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clout
n 1: a target used in archery
2: special advantage or influence; "the chairman's nephew has a
lot of pull" [syn: pull]
3: a short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to
wood [syn: clout nail]
4: (boxing) a blow with the fist; "I gave him a clout on his
nose" [syn: punch, poke, lick, biff]
v : strike hard, especially with the fist; "He clouted his
attacker"