clout

[klout] /klaʊt/
noun
1.
a blow, especially with the hand; cuff:
The bully gave him a painful clout on the head.
2.
Informal. pull; strong influence; muscle, especially political power:
a wealthy campaign contributor with clout at city hall.
3.
Baseball. a long hit, especially an extra-base hit:
A hard clout to deep center field drove in the winning run.
4.
Archery.
  1. the mark or target shot at, especially in long-distance shooting.
  2. a shot that hits the mark.
5.
Also called clout nail. a nail for attaching sheet metal to wood, having a short shank with a broad head.
6.
Archaic.
  1. a patch or piece of cloth or other material used to mend something.
  2. any worthless piece of cloth; rag.
  3. an article of clothing (usually used contemptuously).
verb (used with object)
7.
to strike, especially with the hand; cuff.
8.
Archaic.
  1. to bandage.
  2. to patch; mend.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English clūt piece of cloth or metal; cognate with Middle Low German klūte, Old Norse klūtr
Related forms
clouter, noun
Examples from the web for clout
  • Faculty should use their collective clout, such as it is, to reduce administrative dependence on these ratings.
  • Many of his original followers are now successful businessmen, and their political clout is increasing.
  • It still wins in economic clout thanks to its huge financial sector.
  • If clout is the new currency, in other words, it already has its share of counterfeiters.
  • She now has the clout to start her own production company.
  • But despite its clout, the show is not aging gracefully.
  • If it moved further to the periphery, its clout in negotiations would be further reduced.
  • If your family lacks clout, an alternative is to attach yourself to a well-placed patron.
  • They relish their country's growing military clout and economic sophistication.
  • His opponents argue that regional deals can strengthen exporters' political clout, so raising the odds of freer global trade.
British Dictionary definitions for clout

clout

/klaʊt/
noun
1.
(informal) a blow with the hand or a hard object
2.
power or influence, esp in politics
3.
(archery)
  1. the target used in long-distance shooting
  2. the centre of this target
  3. a shot that hits the centre
4.
Also called clout nail. a short, flat-headed nail used esp for attaching sheet metal to wood
5.
(Brit, dialect)
  1. a piece of cloth: a dish clout
  2. a garment
  3. a patch
verb (transitive)
6.
(informal) to give a hard blow to, esp with the hand
7.
to patch with a piece of cloth or leather
Derived Forms
clouter, noun
Word Origin
Old English clūt piece of metal or cloth, clūtian to patch (C14: to strike with the hand); related to Dutch kluit a lump, and to clod
Word Origin and History for clout
n.

Old English clut "lump of something," also "patch of cloth put over a hole to mend it," from Proto-Germanic *klutaz (cf. Old Norse klute "kerchief," Danish klud "rag, tatter," Frisian klut "lump," Dutch kluit "clod, lump"); perhaps related to clot (v.).

In later use "a handkerchief," also "a woman's sanitary napkin." Sense of "a blow" is from c.1400 early 14c., from the verb. Sense of "personal influence" is 1958, on the notion of "punch, force."

v.

"to beat, strike," early 14c., from clout (n.), perhaps on the notion of hitting someone with a lump of something, or from the "patch of cloth" sense of that word (cf. clout (v.) "to patch, mend," mid-14c.). Related: Clouted; clouting.

Slang definitions & phrases for clout

clout

noun
  1. A heavy blow: She gave him a clout on the snoot (1400+)
  2. Force; power; impact; punch: This wimpish paragraph lacks clout (1950s+)
  3. Influence or power, esp of a political sort: He has lots of friends in high places, but no clout (1950s+)
verb
  1. To hit; strike; bash: My old man would have clouted the hell out of me (1890s+)
  2. To hit the ball, esp to hit it hard (1910+ Baseball)
  3. To steal, esp to shoplift or steal a car (1940s+)