Cloven, Cleaved, Cleft, adj. (old).—Terms applied to a sham virgin.
(Cleft, subs. = the female pudendum.)
In Clover, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Well-off; comfortable; e.g., like a
horse at grass in a clover field.
Clow, subs. (Winchester College). Pronounced clō.—A box on the ear.
[Possibly from clout (q.v.) on the model of ‘bow’ from ‘bout,’ and
‘low’ from ‘lout.’ Halliwell gives ‘clow’ as a Cumberland word, meaning
‘to scratch.’] Cf., Baste, and for general synonyms, see Bang, Dig, and
Wipe.
1870. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 140. The
juniors did not get much fun out of the regular games, as their
part consisted solely in kicking in the ball, and receiving divers
kicks and clows in return for their vigilance. Ibid, p. 39. Nor,
when ordered to ‘hold down,’ (i.e., put your head in a convenient
position) for a clow, would the victim dare to ward off the blow.
Verb.—To box one on the ear. It was customary to preface the action by
an injunction to ‘hold down.’—See quot., 1870, under subs., sense.
Clowes, subs. (old).—Rogues.—Grose [1785].
Cloy, Cligh, or Cly, verb (old).—To steal. For synonyms, see Prig. An
old Gloucestershire vulgarism for the hands is clees.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club’s Repr., 1874). They
are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, or hooker, or such
like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.
1622. Head and Kirkman, Canting Song, in English Rogue. I met a
Dell, I viewed her well, She was benship to my watch; So she and I
did stall and cloy, Whatever we could catch.
1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v., p. 48 (1874). Cloy:
to steal.
1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Cloy: to steal.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To cloy the clout, to steal
the handkerchief. To cloy the lour, to steal money.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
Cloyer, subs. (old).—A thief who intruded on the profits of young
sharpers, by claiming a share.
1611. Middleton, Roaring Girl, O. Pl., vi., 113. Then there’s a
cloyer, or snap, that dogs any new brother in that trade, and
snaps,—will have half in any booty.
1659. The Catterpillars of this Nation Anatomised. [Cloyer = a
pickpocket.]
Cloyes, subs. (old).—Thieves; robbers, etc. [In Grose, 1785, and
Lexicon Balatronicum, 1811.]—See Cloy and Cloyer.
Cloying, verbal subs. (old) Stealing.
1739. Poor Robin. Money is now a hard commodity to get, insomuch
that some will venture their necks for it, by padding, cloying,
milling, filching, nabbing, etc., all of which in plain English is
only stealing.
Club, verb (military).—In manœuvring troops, so to blunder the word of
command that the soldiers get into a position from which they cannot
extricate themselves by ordinary tactics.
18(?). Thackeray, Novels by Eminent Hands. ‘Phil Fogarty.’
‘Clubbed, be jabers!’ roared Lanty Clancy. ‘I wish we could show
’em the Fighting Onety-Oneth, Captain, darlin’!’
1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. xi. If you’re in
difficulties, ask Sergeant File what is best to be done, only don’t
club ’em, my boy, as you did at Limerick.
Subs. (venery).—The penis.
Clump, subs. (common).—A blow, generally a heavy one, with the
hand.—See quots. under verbal sense. For synonyms, see Bang, Dig, and
Wipe.
Verb (common).—To strike; to give a heavy blow. Fr., faire du bifteck.
For synonyms, see Tan.
1864. Derby Day, p. 52. ‘We can’t give ’em in charge now.’...
‘Because why? I’ll tell you ... we shouldn’t know when to spot ’em.
No. I want to clump them. It will spoil sport to call in the
bobbies.’
1874. W. E. Henley, MS. Ballad. Which they calls me the Professor,
But I’m only Hogan’s Novice, Bloody artful with the mufflers, And a
mark on fancy clumping.
1888. Daily News, 2 Jan., p. 7, col. 1. The prisoner clumped
(struck) both of them, and then ran away.
Clumper, subs. (common).—1. A thick, heavy boot for walking. [Clumps in
shoemakers’ technology = extra fore or half soles.] Cf., quot. under
Clumping. For synonyms, see Trotter-cases.