clout Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a target used in archery
  2. noun special advantage or influence
    pull.
    • the chairman's nephew has a lot of pull
  3. noun a short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to wood
    clout nail.
  4. noun (boxing) a blow with the fist
    biff; punch; poke; lick; slug.
    • I gave him a clout on his nose
  5. verb strike hard, especially with the fist
    • He clouted his attacker

WordNet

Clout noun
Etymology
AS. clut a little cloth, piece of metal; cf. Sw. klut, Icel. klutr a kerchief, or W. clwt a clout, Gael. clud.
Definitions
  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. Chaucer.
  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 transitive verb
Etymology
OE. clutien. clouten, to patch. See Clout, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Clouted; present participle & verbal noun Clouting
Definitions
  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. A. Philips. ✍ "Clouted brogues" in Shakespeare and "clouted shoon" in Milton have been understood by some to mean shoes armed with nails; by others, patched shoes.

Webster 1913