Library / English Dictionary

CLOUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

(boxing) a blow with the fist

Example:

I gave him a clout on his nose

Synonyms:

biff; clout; lick; poke; punch; slug

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("clout" is a kind of...):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Domain category:

boxing; fisticuffs; pugilism (fighting with the fists)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "clout"):

counter; counterpunch; parry (a return punch (especially by a boxer))

haymaker; knockout punch; KO punch; Sunday punch (a hard punch that renders the opponent unable to continue boxing)

hook (a short swinging punch delivered from the side with the elbow bent)

jab (a quick short straight punch)

rabbit punch (a short chopping blow to the back of the neck)

sucker punch (an unexpected punch)

Derivation:

clout (strike hard, especially with the fist)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A short nail with a flat head; used to attach sheet metal to wood

Synonyms:

clout; clout nail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("clout" is a kind of...):

nail (a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Special advantage or influence

Example:

the chairman's nephew has a lot of pull

Synonyms:

clout; pull

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("clout" is a kind of...):

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A target used in archery

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("clout" is a kind of...):

mark; target (a reference point to shoot at)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Strike hard, especially with the fist

Example:

He clouted his attacker

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "clout" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to clout his opponent

Derivation:

clout ((boxing) a blow with the fist)

Credits

 Context examples: 

“It is an old bowyer's rede that the second feather of a fenny goose is better than the pinion of a tame one. Draw on old lad, for I have come between you and the clout.”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The next moment he received a clout alongside the head that knocked him over on his side.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

They hurled stones, wielded sticks and clubs and whips, administered slaps and clouts, and, when they touched him, were cunning to hurt with pinch and twist and wrench.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Grey Beaver clouted White Fang alongside the head, so that he cowered down close to the earth in respectful obedience.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The cub snarled a little at the touch of the hand, and the hand flew back to administer a clout.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Insidiously, and by remote ways, as well as by the power of stick and stone and clout of hand, were the shackles of White Fang's bondage being riveted upon him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)