Middle English Dictionary Entry
clǒut n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | clǒut n.(1) Also (early) clut, clouȝt, clohit, clote, glout. |
| Etymology | OE clūt |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A patch (of cloth or leather) for mending; ~ lether; (b) fig.; (c) a blotch or spot.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)70a : A lute clut mei ladlechin swiðe a muchel hal pece.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)857 : Sauners: lethern clout [vr. clowtes].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1305 : Newe schon..& strong clout leþer, hem to clout.
- (1417) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.120189 : Si aliquis magister allutarius..novos talos fecerit (Anglice dictum cloutys or talons)..subibit penam.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.9.16 : No man putteth a clout of buystous clothe in to an elde clothing.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)458 : She nadde on but a streit old sak, And many a clout on it ther stak.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)77/9 : I haue no wepyn save a cloke ful of clowtys.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)377 : Patche or clowt sett on a thynge: Scrutum, pictacium.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)2384 : A peire stronge schon, and ek strong clowt lethir to sette þere-on.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)137 : Clouted with cloutes of old cloth and of lether.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)17172 : Gret noumbre..Off cloutys and off pachchys olde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)26a : A Clowt ledder: pictacium.
b
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)350 : Aȝens Cristis sentence, þei sewen an old cloute in newe cloiþ.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.400 : Alle þes newe ordris ben..tatered cloutis.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)250 : Take hede, hou a tale or a tiding..takith pacchis and cloutis and is chaungid in dyvers parties.
c
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)189b/b : To drye attry bleynes, clowtes [L pannos], and frakenes.
2.
(a) A metal plate or shield to prevent excessive wear, as on an axletree [axel-tre ~] or on the moldboard of a plow [molde-bred ~, etc.]; ?also = clēt n. [see PParv. quot.]; (b) ~ nail, a nail with a flat head.
Associated quotations
a
- (1289-90) Doc.Manor in MP 3453 : Axeltreclutes.
- (1348) Invent.Jarrow in Sur.Soc.2953 : v cartecloutes..j moldbredecloute.
- (a1362) Cellarer R.in Nrf.Archaeol.7164 : In factura clutes et weryren ex proprio ferro.
- (a1382) Doc.Hatfield in Sur.Soc.32217 : In j clout pro moldebred..In vj cluts pro moldebredes.
- (1394-5) Cart.Whitby in Sur.Soc.72618 : Molebrodclowtys.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)81 : Clyte or clote [Win: Clote; KC: clete], or vegge: Cuneus.
- (1465) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.ccxcix : xiiij wayncloutis..ij mulebreyd clowtis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)26a : A Clowt of yrne: Crusta, crusta ferrea, lamina..playtt.
- (1479) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/28)p.52 (56/18) : Bye for me a carthe at Caleys for j horse..; I sopose it wyll coste a vj s. or vij s., clotys, lynys, pynys and all.
b
- (1317-8) Doc.in Bateson Rec.B.Leic.1316 : Pro bordnayl' et Cloutnayl'.
- 1325 *Acc.Exch.K.R.165/1.m.4 [OD col.] : cccc de Cloutnayl pro capitibus et hopes de..barrellis plenis ferro.
- (1358-9) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1143 : Glout-naill'.
- (1462-4) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1088 : For taket nayle & clowte nayle for ye litul bel whele.
3.
A shred of clothing.
Associated quotations
- ?c1335 Þe king of heuen (Hrl 913)34 : Linnin, wollin, glouis and schone..Ne sal þe leue neuer a cloute.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5748 : Þe mantel þat he had opon To cloutes it was drawen anon.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4533 : And al is hod to-taar to cloute.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.348 : Ycrammed ful of cloutes and of bones.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.3.45 : Cloutes that thei hadden arased out of my clothes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)526/3 : He wold not gyff þer-for þe valour of a..clowte.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)259 : In cloutes..Hom burde have..bene rent.
4.
A fragment or piece; renden to cloutes, to tear to pieces; cleven in ~, split into pieces; beten to ~, beat (sb.) up.
Associated quotations
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1953 : Whan she of this bille hath taken hede, She rente it al to cloutes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)367 : Mony clustered clowde clef alle in clowtez, Torent uch a rayn-ryfte, and rusched to þe urþe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)965 : Alle þe regioun torof in riftes..And cloven alle in lyttel cloutes þe clyffez aywhere.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1868 : Þou hast me rappyd with rewly rowtis..Myn hed is clateryd al to clowtis!
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)227/24 : With his staff he bett þis hermett all to clowtis. And þis hermett was sorowfull & went home agayn vnto his cell.
5.
(a) A piece of cloth; a cloth, kerchief, sheet, etc.; (b) a cloth for bandaging.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)34 : Ane beiȝ of gold he nam, Iwounde in one cloute.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)14 : Une baavere: a slavering clout.
- ?a1350 Recipe Painting(1) in Archaeol.J.1 (Hrl 2253)65 : Tac a wollene clout, ant couche thi poudre theron.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)906 : Suþþe þay han y-take a clout..& byndeþ þer-wiþ is eȝene about.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)973 : Marye with a swote cloute Swaþed here sones hede alle aboute.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4452 : Þe spere carf þorouȝ-out As þorouȝ a wollene clout.
- c1425 MS Sln.277 in EETS 102 (Sln 277)313 n.6 : Lappe þilke sticke in a clene lynen clout & anoynte þe clout wiþ þe same oile.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)84 : Clowte of clothe: Scrutum, panniculus, pannucia.
- a1450 3 KCol.(1) (Roy 18.A.10)97/28 : Sche toke all þes ȝiftis..and bond hem in a cloute [Cmb Ee: clothe].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)343/194 : Go home, casbalde, with þi clowte [i.e. the veronica], Or..Þou schall a-bye full dere.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)172/26 : To clanse his syde, and hull hit wyth a clene clote of sandelle.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)135/584 : Gyf me lefe, hym to kys and lyft vp the clowtt.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)126b/b : Cloþes or cloutez for bendels & ligaturez.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)25/40 : Be þe pacient girded, þat þe side of þe clout next to þe lure lye riȝt atuix þe buttokkes.
- c1450 Burg.Practica (Rwl D.251)212/15 : Wete clowtis þeryn and ley hem on þe leuer.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)105/6 : Bynde it [a wound] with a clowte.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)423 : Tak barley mayle..do it on a clowte and ley it to the sore.
6.
(a) A cloth worn as a garment; a simple or mean garment, 'rags'; her ~, a hair shirt; pilche ~, skin cloak; man of cloutes, a man in rags; (b) swaddling cloth; swathe (swathinge) ~; (c) shroud.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)57b : Þe deoflen schulen pleien wið him..& dusten ase pilche clut euch toward oðer.
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.51 : Þe false world..Bad þe..Þi fleychs with riche robes schride, Nouȝt als a beggare in a clouȝt [Auch: clout].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)2.196 : Pardoners..Wosschen him and wrongen him and wounden him in cloutes [vr. cloþis].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.736 : Ye, for an heyre clowt to wrappe me!
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)130/20 : Þei gon all naked, saf a lityll clout þat þei coueren with here knees & hire membres.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57172 : Ȝe sey I hame no beter than a man of klowetes; it schal nat be longe or [ȝe fynde me beter].
- a1475 Friar & B.(Brog 2.1)p.56 : He had not left an holle clowte, Wherwith to hyde hys body abowte.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)52 : Owt of paradyse were þey caste, Nakyd with-owtyn clowt or clothe.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)244 : Fy on his pilche! He is but abortijf eked wiþ cloutes!
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3327 : Godd wass..wundenn þær swa wreccheliȝ Wiþþ clutess inn an cribbe.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)70b : Wið clutes biwrabbet.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)6 : Maylolez: swath-clout.
- 1372 Leorne to loue (Adv 18.7.21)14 : Ihesu..I haue neiþer clut ne cloth, Þe inne for to folde.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abbess (Phys-E)p.164 : In cloutes bi þe gate scho fande A yong maydenchild.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)763 : A ȝong child..In þe swaþyng cloutis wounde.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5199 : Bethleem, whare I was born..And in clotes lapped.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)149 : Thow [Jesus] wald nowthir in purpure ne byse Be lappede, ne in nan oþer clothes of pryce, Bot in vile clowttes for to couer thi body.
c
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)8/17 : Mid clutes þu ert forb[un]den ond loþ alle freonden.
- a1275 Body & S.(3) (Trin-C B.14.39)7 : Me prikit him in on vul clohit & legget him by þe wout.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)18 : Me nimit þe licam & prenit in on clut..þat was iwonit to weriin so mony veir srout.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)351 : When he is clothed in a clowte, To wonne in a wormys walle.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)317 : [The dead have] bot a lyttill cloute of clathe to hille þaire body with.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)f.30b : Of mi worldes acite, haue i na more me Bote a clud of an haire totoren ate kne.
Note: New form: Also..clud.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 6.(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. Provisional revised form section (including supplement form): Also clo(u)te, (in cpd.) glout-, (chiefly early) clut, (early) clouȝt, clud, clohit; pl. cloutes, etc. & cloutez, clouttes, clotes, klowetes, (chiefly early) clutes.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.6va (1.1) : A wollen clout..dippede in his owen fastand vryn 7 or 9 daies, wonden & wappede alse fer as þe peyn lastiþ doþ þe same effecte.
Note: Antedates sense 5.(b).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. clout.