I. ˈklau̇t, usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English clūt; akin to Middle High German klōz lump, Old Norse klūtr kerchief, Russian gluda lump, Latin galla gall on a plant — more at gall
1.
a. now dialect Britain : a patch especially of cloth or leather : a shred or rag especially of cloth
b. : cloth ; especially : a cloth for household use (as a towel or cover)
c. : an article of clothing (as for infants) ; specifically : diaper
2.
a. : an iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing
b. : clout nail
3. : a blow especially with the fist
gave him a clout on his old head — Arnold Bennett
: a hit especially in baseball
a long clout over the fence
4.
a. : the mark shot at in archery ; specifically : a white cloth placed on a stake or stretched on a hoop or frame used as a target in distance shooting — see clout shooting
b. : a hit in the clout
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English clouten, from clout patch — more at clout
1.
a. : to mend with a patch : patch
b. : to stud with nails : protect (as shoe soles) by studding with nails
c. : to protect (an axletree) with a clout
d. : to cover with or as if with a cloth
2. : to strike forcefully especially with the hand or fist
the troublesome boy whose mother has just clouted his head — G.B.Shaw
: hit (as a ball) with force
clout the ball into the bleachers
3. slang : steal
Synonyms: see strike
III. noun
: pull : influence
had a lot of clout with the governor