Obs. Also 5 clapere, 5–6 claper, 6 clapar. [a. F. clapier (AF. probably claper) rabbit-hole, Pr. clapier (cf. clapiera heap of stones, clap heap); in med.L. claperius, -um, -a, ‘rabbit-hole’ from 14th c., previously ‘heap of stones’; so clapus, clapa (Du Cange). The origin of the med.L. is unknown: see Littré and Diez; a Celtic derivation is rejected by Thurneysen.]
A rabbit-burrow; also applied to a place constructed for keeping tame rabbits.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1405. Conies … That comen out of her claperes.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 395. The woddes … wherin … they vsed to hyde theym as a cony doth in his claper.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 86. Plash burrow, set clapper, for dog is a snapper.
1611. Cotgr., Clapier, a Clapper of Conies; a heape of stones &c. whereinto they retire themselues; or (as our clapper) a Court walled about, and full of neasts of boords, or stone, for tame Conies.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 645. On the tops of these burroughs or clappers.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Warren, [They] take care to stock their Warren, by the means of a Clapper of Coneys.
transf. 1572. T. Wilson, Usury, 100 b. The poore gentleman is caught in the Cony clapper.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 403. A childe … when he is borne … a man when he dieth … are vnwilling to come forth of their clapper and to forsake their closet.
