Clout

Pronunciation

• IPA: /klaÊŠt/
• Rhymes: -aÊŠt

Origin

Old English clūt, from Proto-Germanic *klūtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *glūdos. Cognate with Old Norse klútr ("kerchief")

Webster 1913|clout

(Swedish klut, Danish klud), Middle High German klōz ("lump") (German Kloß), dialect Russian глуда

clout in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary

. See also cleat. The sense "influence, especially political" originated in the dialect of Chicago, but has become widespread.

Full definition of clout

Noun

1. Influence or effectiveness, especially political.
• 2011, December 15, Felicity Cloake, How to cook the perfect nut roast, The chopped mushrooms add depth to both the Waitrose and the Go-Go Vegan recipe, but what gives the latter some real clout on the flavour front is a teaspoon of Marmite. Vegetarian tweeter Jessica Edmonds tells me her boyfriend likes a similar recipe because "it tastes of Twiglets!". I'm with him – frankly, what's Christmas without a Twiglet? – but Annie Bell's goat's cheese has given me an idea for something even more festive. Stilton works brilliantly with parsnips, providing a savoury richness which feels a little more special than common or garden yeast extract. Blue cheese calls to mind the chestnuts used by Mary Berry of course, and now I'm on a roll, I pop in some sage and onion too, in a nod to the classic festive stuffing.
2. (regional, informal) A blow with the hand.
• 1910, Katherine Mansfield, Frau Brenchenmacher Attends A Wedding'Such a clout on the ear as you gave me… But I soon taught you.'
3. (informal) A home run.
• 2011, Michael Vega, "Triple double", in The Boston Globe, August 17, 2011, p. C1.'... allowed Boston to score all of its runs on homers, including a pair of clouts by Jacoby Ellsbury ...'
4. (archery) The center of the butt at which archers shoot; probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.
• ShakespeareA' must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout.
5. (regional, dated) A swaddling cloth.
6. (archaic) A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.
• SpenserHis garments, nought but many ragged clouts,
  With thorns together pinned and patched was.
• Shakespearea clout upon that head where late the diadem stood
7. (archaic) An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer.
• 1866, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, Volume 1, p. 546.Clouts were thin and flat pieces of iron, used it appears to strengthen the box of the wheel; perhaps also for nailing on such other parts of the cart as were particularly exposed to wear.
8. (obsolete) A piece; a fragment.

Derived terms

Verb

1. To hit, especially with the fist.
2. To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage; patch, or mend, with a clout.
• LatimerPaul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in ... clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers.
3. To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.
4. To guard with an iron plate, as an axletree.
5. To join or patch clumsily.
• P. Fletcherif fond Bavius vent his clouted song