clout

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

clout, n. [AS. clūt a little cloth, piece of metal; cf. Sw. klut, Icel. klūtr a kerchief, or W. clwt a clout, Gael. clud.].

•  A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.  [1913 Webster]

  "His garments, nought but many ragged clouts,
  With thorns together pinned and patched was."  [1913 Webster]

  "A clout upon that head where late the diadem stood."  [1913 Webster]
•  A swadding cloth.  [1913 Webster]
•  A piece; a fragment.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  The center of the butt at which archers shoot; -- probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.  [1913 Webster]

  "A'must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout."  [1913 Webster]
•  An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer.  [1913 Webster]
•  A blow with the hand.  [1913 Webster]

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. [OE. clutien. clouten, to patch. See Clout, n.].

•  To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage; patch, or mend, with a clout.  [1913 Webster]

  "And old shoes and clouted upon their feet."  [1913 Webster]

  "Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in . . . clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers."  [1913 Webster]
•  To join or patch clumsily.  [1913 Webster]

  "If fond Bavius vent his clouted song."  [1913 Webster]
•  To quard with an iron plate, as an axletree.  [1913 Webster]
•  To give a blow to; to strike.  [1913 Webster]

  "The . . . queen of Spain took off one of her chopines and clouted Olivarez about the noddle with it."  [1913 Webster]
•  To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.  [1913 Webster]

  " “Clouted brogues” in Shakespeare and “clouted shoon” in Milton have been understood by some to mean shoes armed with nails; by others, patched shoes."  [1913 Webster]

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

OXFORD DICTIONARY

clout, n. & v.
--n.
1 a heavy blow.
2 colloq. influence, power of effective action esp. in politics or business.
3 dial. a piece of cloth or clothing (cast not a clout).
4 Archery hist. a piece of canvas on a frame, used as a mark.
5 a nail with a large flat head.
6 a patch.
--v.tr.
1 hit hard.
2 mend with a patch.

Etymology

OE clut, rel. to CLEAT, CLOT

THESAURUS

clout

amperage, armipotence, ascendancy, authoritativeness, authority, backlash, backwash, bang, bash, bat, beating, beef, belt, biff, black power, blow, bonk, box, brute force, buffet, cabbage, charge, charisma, charm, chop, clap, clip, clobber, clump, cogence, cogency, coldcock, collar, compulsion, consequence, control, cop, crack, credit, cut, dash, deal, deal a blow, deck, dig, ding, dint, dominance, domination, drag, drive, driving force, drub, drubbing, drumming, duress, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, eminence, enchantment, energy, esteem, favor, fetch, fetch a blow, flower power, force, force majeure, forcefulness, full blast, full force, fusillade, good feeling, heist, hit, hit a clip, hold, hook, impact, impellent, impelling force, impetus, importance, impress, impression, imprint, impulse, impulsion, in, incentive, incidental power, incitement, influence, influentiality, insinuation, irresistible force, jab, knock, knock cold, knock down, knock out, leadership, let have it, leverage, lick, magisterialness, magnetism, main force, main strength, mana, mark, mastery, might, might and main, mightiness, moment, momentum, motive power, moxie, muscle power, nail, nick, nip, paste, pelt, personality, persuasion, pizzazz, plunk, poke, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, pound, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, predominance, preponderance, prepotency, pressure, prestige, print, productiveness, productivity, propulsion, puissance, pull, punch, purchase, push, rap, reaction, recoil, reflex, reign, repercussion, repute, response, rule, say, sinew, slam, slap, slog, slosh, slug, smack, smash, smite, snap, soak, sock, steal, steam, strength, strike, strike at, stroke, strong arm, suasion, subtle influence, suggestion, superiority, superpower, supremacy, swat, sway, swing, swipe, tattoo, thrust, thump, thwack, upper hand, validity, vehemence, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, wallop, wattage, weight, whack, wham, whip hand, whop, yerk