From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Clout \Clout\ (klout), n. [AS. cl[=u]t a little cloth, piece of
metal; cf. Sw. klut, Icel. kl[=u]tr a kerchief, or W. clwt a
clout, Gael. clud.]
1. A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.
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His garments, nought but many ragged clouts,
With thorns together pinned and patched was.
--Spenser.
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A clout upon that head where late the diadem stood.
--Shak.
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2. A swadding cloth.
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3. A piece; a fragment. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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4. The center of the butt at which archers shoot; -- probably
once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.
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A'must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout.
--Shak.
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5. An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from
wearing; a washer.
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6. A blow with the hand. [Low]
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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.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Clout \Clout\, 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.
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And old shoes and clouted upon their feet. --Josh.
ix. 5.
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Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in . . .
clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers.
--Latimer.
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2. To join or patch clumsily.
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If fond Bavius vent his clouted song. --P. Fletcher
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3. To quard with an iron plate, as an axletree.
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4. To give a blow to; to strike. [Low]
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The . . . queen of Spain took off one of her
chopines and clouted Olivarez about the noddle with
it. --Howell.
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5. To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.
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Clouted cream, clotted cream, i. e., cream obtained by
warming new milk. --A. Philips.
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Note: "Clouted brogues" in Shakespeare and "clouted shoon" in
Milton have been understood by some to mean shoes armed
with nails; by others, patched shoes.
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