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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLOIT, Cloyt, Kloit, v., adv., and n.¹ Cf. Clyte, n.², v.¹, and adv. The form cloit is rare in ne. or n.Sc. [klɔɪt, klɔɪ̢t]

I. v.

1. To fall heavily or suddenly (Ags.², Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1936). MacTaggart in Gallov. Encycl. (1824) 138, gives cloited as “fell easily.”Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 198:
Wi' a Gird Upon my Bum I fairly cloited On the cald Eard.Ags. 1883 J. Kennedy in Edwards (ed.) Mod. Sc. Poets VI. 218:
Sprauchled up, then owre he cloited.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick iii.:
Thinkin ilka meenute the muckle buik was gaun to cloit on the tap o' him.

2. To sit down suddenly or quickly (Ags.¹ 1936); “to squat down” (Gall. 1825 Jam.²).Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 100:
Sae down they cloytet on their seats, And helter-skelter at the meats.

3. “To strike, thump, batter” (w.Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶). Also frequentative form cloiter (Ib.).

II. adv. Heavily, suddenly, gen. in conjunction with the verb gang. Often with another adv. Known to Ags.², Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1936.Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) xiii.:
He gaed cloit ower on the tap o' Sandy, and brocht a tin box doish doon on his heid.

III. n.

1. A sudden heavy fall (Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1936); “a plash” (Jak.).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
He fell wi' a kloit i' de gutters (in the mire).Ags. 1925 Forfar Dispatch (25 Nov.) 3/3:
Though you did land at the fit of the slide wi' a cloit.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 45:
He . . . fell with a great cloyt on his face!

2. A siesta, “a rest in a reclining position” (Bnff.² 1936).Rnf. 1825 Jam.²:
I tak a cloit when I'm tired.