Middle English Dictionary Entry
clicchen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | clicchen v. Also clocchen, clucchen, cleuche, clouche. P. clighte, cliched, cloched; ppl. i)clight, iclught, clought, icluiȝte. |
| Etymology | OE clyccan & ppl. gecliht. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To fold (the fingers) into the palm of the hand, close (the hand) into a fist; retract (the claws); (b) to bend, double up, crouch; curve (away from sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)46/23 : Þu wisest wurhte..mete wið þi strahte hond, & wið þe icluhte, þe eorðe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)50b/b : Þe hand hatte palma whanne þe fyngres ben I streiȝt out [L expansis], and first [L pugnus] whan þey ben I cliȝt Inne [L intensa sicut contractis].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)52a/b : Whanne he [eagle] restiþ, he budiþ & clycchiþ & closiþ in [L claudit et reflectit] þe clowis.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)17.188 : Þe fyngres þat folde shulde and þe fuste make..powere hem failleth To clicche [vrr. cluche, cleuche; C vr. clyche] or to clawe, to clyppe or to holde.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)537 : He fond the ymages fynger with the ring y-clyȝt into the pawme of the hond.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)124 : With handes clight, y crye.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2515 : He..shewid his hondis tho, Strecching forth his fyngirs..And clyȝte hem efft ageyns.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)330 : I-cluiȝte [Eg: i cluȝt] heo seten ope heore ton and quakeden revliche for fere.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)54 : I clyng, i cluche, i croke, i couwe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1541 : His cnes cachches to close, and cluchches his hommes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)tab.63 : From oil hit [cucumber] wul clicche [vr. clicche awaye].
2.
(a) To clutch (sth.), hold fast; fasten (in or onto sth.); enclose, encase; (b) ~ together, to stick together, adhere; fig. join together.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)402 : Cros! whon Crist on þe was cliht.
- a1425(c1300) Assump.Virg.(1) (Add 10036)719 : Whi leie ȝe so, In ȝoure armour so fast ycliȝt?
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)818/1 : Anone he..clyched that swerde in hys honde and drew hitte oute.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)617 : A maiden..A child hade in hir armes clyght.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)347/430 : Alas! why were I not dead to day, Clought and Clongen vnder Clay!
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1692 : Þer mony clyvy, as clyde hit clyȝt togeder.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)30 : Þe lyppe lyþ on a lumpe, lyuered on þe cheke; So a canker vnclene, hit cloched to gedres [vr. clothered togedir].
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)8659 : Faur causes I find to-geder clight.
3.
To snatch (sth.), seize, catch; also fig.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)419 : Þe deuel stod lyk a lyon raumpaunt; Mony folk In-to helle he clihte.
- c1390 In Somer bifore (Vrn)53 : In eny caas ȝif we ben cliht, We con not, but we crie to þe.
- a1425 PPl.C (Cmb Ff 5.35)1.172 fn. : Clochen [Hnt: A cat..if we grucche..he wol..To hus clees clawen ows].
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2937 : He clyght vp a cupe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)105/19 : Þe Vox of ȝisceunge haueð þeose hwelpes..Gauel, Oker, festschipe, prinschipe of ȝeoue oðer of lane; þis is icluht heorte [L cor tenax siue tenacitatem].
Note: New form: P.ppl. (early SWM) icluht.
Note: New gloss: "Ppl. cliched as adj.: grasping, close-fisted, stingy."
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL