trans. Now Sc. and north. dial. [Of this and the related words, clart sb., clarty, the origin is unknown: it must have been long in spoken use, for the compound vb. beclart occurs in 13th c.]
1. trans. To smear or daub with dirt, bedirty.
[c. 1230. Wohunge, in Cott. Hom., 279. Þat spatel þat swa biclarted ti leor.]
1808. Mrs. E. Hamilton, Cott. Glenburnie, 179. If its but a wee clarted, there’s no sae muckle ill done.
1830. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Clart, to dawb with syrup, juice of fruit, or the like.
1876. Mid-Yorksh. Gloss., Clart, to smear.
† 2. fig. To cause to stick, to plaster on or upon.
1681. Glanvill, Sadducismus, 177. No other Contradictions or Repugnancies on this our Notion … than what the minds of our Adversaries, polluted with the impure dregs of Imagination … do foully and slovenly clart upon it.
1682. H. More, Annot. Glanvill’s Lux O., 226. Mr. Baxter fancies God may clart on Life the specifick Form of Spirit. Ibid. (1683), Annot. Bp. Rust’s Disc. Truth, 237. Three essences clarted upon some fourth essence, or glewed together one to another.
Clarte, obs. form of CLARITY.
