clout

¹clout

noun \ˈklau̇t\

Definition of CLOUT

1

dialect chiefly British : a piece of cloth or leather : rag

2

: a blow especially with the hand; also : a hard hit in baseball

3

: a white cloth on a stake or frame used as a target in archery

4

: pull, influence <political clout>

Examples of CLOUT

1. She used her political clout to have another school built.
2. <gave the stubborn handle a solid clout to make it turn>

Origin of CLOUT

Middle English, from Old English clūt; akin to Middle High German klōz lump, Russian gluda

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to CLOUT

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, ¹blow, crack, cuff, dab, douse [British], fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup [dialect], lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap)

Related Words

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke; body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut; cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO; bastinado (or bastinade), battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing; flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

Near Antonyms

helplessness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness, weakness

Rhymes with CLOUT

bout, doubt, drought, flout, glout, gout, grout, knout, kraut, lout, out, pout, rout, route, scout, shout, snout, spout, sprout, stout, tout, trout

²clout

transitive verb

Definition of CLOUT

1

: to cover or patch with a clout

2

: to hit forcefully

Examples of CLOUT

1. He clouted 19 home runs last year.
2. He'll clout me around the head if he finds out what I've done.

First Known Use of CLOUT

14th century

Related to CLOUT

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, hit, crack, hammer, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap

Related Words

batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough; scuff; bunt, flick, stroke, tap; bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp; bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump [slang], fell, floor, knock down, level; rabbit-punch, sucker punch; cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip; bean, brain, conk, skull