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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Clout, Clowt, n.¹ Also: cloute, clowte, cloutt, clut(t. [ME. clout(e, clowt(e, earlier clut(e, OE. clút.]

1. A piece of cloth, a patch, a rag.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 1427.
In-to that pyt he lad hyre done, Nakyt, owtane that aulde clowt c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 14.
His baner … Quhairin wes clowttis ane hundreth scoir, Ilk ane of diuers hew 1573 Inv. Q. Mary p. clii.
The said James gaue me certen geere in an evell favored clowte(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1136.
To mak a wicht hors of a wand, … A cumly lady of a clout 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 84.
In a clovt nyne precious stanis vnsett a1500 Doug. K. Hart 934.
Beir him this brokin brow, And bid him bawldlie bind it with ane clout a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 380.
It lyis closit in a clout on Seland cost 1531 Bell. Boece II. 416.
Edward Balliol gart ilk man in his army bind ane quhit clout on his arme 1564 Prot. Bk. T. Johnsoun 142.
The said Patrick shew certane cloutis and naipkynnis, and laid the money … upoun ane burd 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 439.
The … raggis and clouttis lyand in the said places is … ane occasioun of infectioun 1596 Elgin Rec. II. 45.
This Preinak confessis that scho … wesche the said barne with ane blak clout 1622 Highland P. III. 12.
He had recived a charme and something in a clout to weare about him

b. A piece of cloth having a certain number of pins, needles, etc., inserted for convenience of handling or keeping. 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 43.
viij clout of prenis 1506 Ib. III. 114.
For making of hir goun … For ane clout prenis to hir 1537 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. IX. 157.
xxij paperis of gret prenis, price of the paper x d; xxiiij clowtes of small prenis, price of the clowt xiij d 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 237.
Ane clut of nedillis 1568 Edinb. Test. I. 179.
Ellevin cloutis of neidillis, price of the clout xxx d 1576 Ib. IV. 154 b.
Ane clout of elsin irnes 1597 Bk. Rates 8.
Neidlis the clut thairof … pakind neidlis the clut thairof 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII. 80.
Four clouttis of huikis … twa clouttis neiddillis, price of the clout sewin s. 1625 Brechin Test. IV. 198 b.
Ane clout & half sek nidlis

2. A small piece, a patch, of land. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2730.
Thow hes aneuch; the pure husband richt nocht Bot croip and calf vpon ane clout of land 1684 Glamis Bk. Rec. 34.
The north and middle greens, clouts of corn land