Cloth
Pronunciation
- UK enPR: klÅth, IPA: /klɒθ/
- US enPR: klôth, IPA: /klɔθ/, /klɑθ/
- Rhymes: -ɒθ
Origin
From Middle English cloth, clath, from Old English clÄþ ("cloth, clothes, covering, sail"), from Proto-Germanic *klaiþą ("garment"), from Proto-Indo-European *gleyt- ("to cling to, cleave, stick"). Cognate with Scots clath ("cloth"), North Frisian klaid ("dress, garment"), West Frisian kleed ("cloth, article of clothing"), Dutch kleed ("robe, dress"), Low German kleed ("dress, garment"), German Kleid ("dress, garment"), Danish klæde ("cloth, dress"), Swedish kläde ("cloth"), Icelandic klæði ("cloth, dressing"), Old English clīþan ("to adhere, stick"). Compare Albanian ngjit ("to stick, attach, glue").
Full definition of cloth
Noun
- (uncountable) A woven fabric such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use.
- 1905, w, w:The Case of Miss Elliott Chapter 2, “H'm !” he said, “so, so—it is a tragedy in a prologue and three acts. I am going down this afternoon to see the curtain fall for the third time on what ... will prove a good burlesque ; but it all began dramatically enough. It was last Saturday … that two boys, playing in the little spinney just outside Wembley Park Station, came across three large parcels done up in American cloth. …â€
- A piece of cloth used for a particular purpose.
- A form of attire that represents a particular profession.
- (in idioms) Priesthood, clergy.