-clouting-

n. [ AS. clūt a little cloth, piece of metal; cf. Sw. klut, Icel. klūtr a kerchief, or W. clwt a clout, Gael. clud. ] 1. A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag. [ 1913 Webster ]

His garments, nought but many ragged clouts,
With thorns together pinned and patched was. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

A clout upon that head where late the diadem stood. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A swadding cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A piece; a fragment. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The center of the butt at which archers shoot; -- probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head. [ 1913 Webster ]

A'must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A blow with the hand. [ Low ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Clout nail, a kind of wrought-iron nail heaving a large flat head; -- used for fastening clouts to axletrees, plowshares, etc., also for studding timber, and for various purposes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Clouted; p. pr. & vb. n. Clouting. ] [ OE. clutien. clouten, to patch. See Clout, n. ] 1. To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage; patch, or mend, with a clout. [ 1913 Webster ]

And old shoes and clouted upon their feet. Josh. ix. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in . . . clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To join or patch clumsily. [ 1913 Webster ]

If fond Bavius vent his clouted song. P. Fletcher [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To quard with an iron plate, as an axletree. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To give a blow to; to strike. [ Low ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The . . . queen of Spain took off one of her chopines and clouted Olivarez about the noddle with it. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole. [ 1913 Webster ]

Clouted cream, clotted cream, i. e., cream obtained by warming new milk. A. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ “Clouted brogues” in Shakespeare and “clouted shoon” in Milton have been understood by some to mean shoes armed with nails; by others, patched shoes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Clout, n. ] Clumsy; awkward. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Rough-hewn, cloutery verses. E. Phillips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To divest of a clout. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]