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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLOOT, Clout, Clute, Cluit, Clut, Clit, Clitt, Clet, Cleet, Clate, n.³ Also misprint clint. [klut, klyt m.Sc., s.Sc., but m.Sc. + klɪt; klit (Arg.¹); klɛt Uls.]

1. One of the divisions in the hoof of cloven-footed animals, i.e. sheep, pigs, etc. (Kcb.⁴ c.1900; clit Ayr. 1996). Improperly, but commonly, used for the whole hoof. Examples of this word in n.Sc. are wanting, although sense 4 is known to Abd.² and Abd.⁹ (1936). Arg.¹ (1937) gives cleet, and “N.Antrim” in North. Whig (14th Jan. 1924) gives clet. Also dim. clootie.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 278:
Inclose them in a paste of Clay, with some Cows Cluts or Hoofs shorn down among them.Sc. 1822 Blackwood's Mag. XI. 485:
A small black-faced mountain sheep, who, spying a gap in a fence, bolts through it with his hinder clooties jerked up pertly and yet timidly in the air.Ags. 1845 T. Watson Deil in Love 11:
And then his shapeless cloven cloots Were thrust in bluidy pirate's boots.e.Lth. 1885 S. Mucklebackit Rhymes 113:
He . . . buys up auld wives' kye (Nae doubt he'd steal them tail an' clout).Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 9:
Your father was a fool for fashing wi' him, auld slavery dufe, he wants naething of a cow but the clutes.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
clits, cleets, cloots, clates the cleavage in sheep's foot (refers to whole foot also).Kcb. 1793 R. Heron Journey II. 124:
I have seen the clint [sic] and horns of an Aurochs dug up from a marle-pit in this neighbourhood.

Hence clooted, hoofed.Gall. 1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xvi.:
There were . . . many footmarks about it, as of clooted feet of cattle.

Comb.: clootill, a disease of the hooves of cattle (see quot.). Ayr. 1845 Sc. Farmer (Aug.) 255:
I had previously examined the feet of the first [cow], and found an ulcer between the cloots of the hind feet, where all the others were also affected. . . . The complaint is called the Crutock, or Clootill.

2. Used fig. of the feet of human beings.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 11:
But i' the lirks o' Corriedale Tam's win' an' cloots begood to fail.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 146:
I tauld ye he [policeman] wad come an' tak ye awa; an' nae matter tho' he had every cloot o ye.Edb. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 102:
Some whit'nin' — I was telt Fur tae rub upon my belt, An' thir spasher-dasher things upon my clitts.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables R. Cummell ix.:
He was . . . kickin' the lumps o' harrow clay frae his cluits.

3. By synecdoche: (1) A cloven-footed animal.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shepherd Act. I. Sc. i. in Poems (1728):
Sax good fat Lambs I sald them ilka Clute.Tyr. 1931 “Clone” in North. Whig (17 Dec.) 10/6:
Ivery cloot about the place is pure bred.

(2) A rustic, a boorish country-man.Kcb. 1908 A. J. Armstrong in Gallovidian (No. 37) 7:
But Watty was fain to gang doon to the change-house, An' scatter his wit 'mang the cluits o' the glen. [This may rather be an unusual variant of Cloit, n.², 2.]

4. In pl.: the Devil (because of his being represented as having cloven feet). Occas. also in sing. in this sense. Sometimes preceded by auld (cf. Clootie, n.²).Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 336:
A' the time the carter swearing like Cloots.Ags. 1901 W. J. Milne Reminisc. of an Old Boy App. 293:
Cloot threatened an' scoldit wi' muckle deil's snash.Ayr. c. 1785 Robert Burns Poems and Songs (1969) 138:
An' now, auld Cloots, I ken ye're thinkan,
A certain Bardie's rantin, drinkin,
Some luckless hour will send him linkan,
To your black pit.Ayr. 1858 M. Porteous Real “Souter Johnny” 28:
A sight that gart auld cloots grow fain, An' blaw his pipes wi' “might an' main.”Gall. 1843 J. Nicolson Hist. and Trad. Tales 121:
Ye little thocht ye had to flee . . . Through chaos' bounds to meet auld Cloot.

Hence deriv. clootship, His Satanic Majesty. Ayr. 1843 J. Stirrat Poems (1869) 13:
Then his clootship seiz'd Mash, and awa wi' a flash.

5. Phrases: (1) croon an' cloot, clute an' tail, the whole animal or person, hence completely; (2) frae cluit to crown, frae cloot to mou', from top to toe; (3) to take the clute, to run off (of cattle).(1) Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-head and Trotters 118:
And, strange to say, the way to do 't Is burnin'! — burnin' croon an' cloot.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems and Songs 118:
He kent a' creatures clute an' tail.(2) Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 143:
Wow Britain! but ye're unco fou O' filth, as ony glarry sow, A' splairgit frae the cloot to mou' I' some foul hole.Gsw. 1856 “Young Glasgow” Deil's Hallowe'en 37:
Hech, Sirs! . . . I'm stinging a' frae cluit to crown.(3) Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems, etc. 65:
Wha kens, but what the bits o' brutes, Sin' I came here, hae ta'en their clutes, An' gane ilk livan ane a-packin'?