[See CLASH sb.]
1. intr. To make the sound of collision described under CLASH sb. 1.
c. 1500. Cocke Lorell’s B. (1843), 13. Than men myght here the ores classhe, And on the water gave many a dasshe.
1562. Phaër, Æneid, VIII. (R.). Togither all they rusht, and pluckt with ores conflicting clasht.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 209. Arms on Armour clashing bray’d Horrible discord.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, V. 389. The iron storm of death Clash’d in the sky.
1851. Longf., Gold. Leg., Prol. Seize the loud, vociferous bells, and Clashing, clanging, to the pavement Hurl them from their windy tower!
1876. Green, Stray Stud., 357. Soldiers from the castle rode clashing through the narrow streets.
b. trans. with object of result.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 668. And fierce with grasped arms Clash’d on their sounding shields the din of war.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh (1857), 192. The mere man’s voice … Went sheathed in brass, and clashed on even heights Its phrasèd thunders.
1870. Thornbury, Tour Eng., I. vii. 148. Straightway the bells … instantly clash out a thanksgiving.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiii. 18. Let a gong clash glad emotion.
2. trans. To strike (things) together with this noise. † To clash quills: to wage a war of controversy with the pen.
1686. [J. Gother], Amicable Accommodation, 2. Being so near of a mind, we have yet been so long clashing Quills, as Adversaries.
1700. Dryden, Palamon & Arcite, III. 370. At length the nodding statue clash’d his arms.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 193, ¶ 5. I can clash Swords when they represent a Battel.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 426. The ordinary freeman can no longer come in person to clash his arms and raise his shout of Yea, yea, or Nay, nay.
3. intr. To come into violent and noisy collision.
1618. [see CLASHING ppl. a.].
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 35. The Corves are subject to Clash and beat against the Shaft sides.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 322. Tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square, The rattling chariots clash, the torches glare.
1826. Scott, Woodst., ii. The swords clashed smartly together … But the combat was of short duration.
1871. Alabaster, Wheel of Law, 146. It clashed loudly against the three bowls.
b. without the notion of noise.
1715. Cheyne, Philos. Princ. Nat. Relig., 71 (J.). How many Millions of Candles and Flambeaux may we see sending out their Tides of Light, without clashing upon one another, which argues … the Smallness of the Parts of Light.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 1. 236. These two beams [of light] will clash and extinguish each other. Ibid. (1871), Fragm. Sc. (1879), I. i. 7. Two planets clash and come to rest.
4. To come into, or engage in, conflict (with, against).
a. 1622. Bacon, Hen. VIII. (J.). Neither was there any Queen Mother, who might … clash with his counsellors for authority.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 892. When men had Clashed a good while, Doing and Suffering Injury, the Greater part … at length Compounded the business amongst themselves.
1719. Young, Busiris, III. i. (1757), 45. When nations against nations clash in arms.
1820. Hazlitt, Lect. Dram. Lit., 11. It is not possible that the learned professors and the reading public should clash.
b. fig. To come into conflict; to conflict, be at variance; to interfere, be incompatible; to disagree (with). (The chief current use.)
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 98. Their thoughts running parallel are not like to clash.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 234. It does not at all clash with what we have already set down.
1706. Z. Cradock, Serm. Charity (1740), 13. Their interests would no longer clash and interfere.
1827. J. Powell, Devises (ed. 3), II. 37. His lordship’s statement … may seem to clash with Lord Eldon’s.
1853. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. xvii. 215. It is with this intense passion for being that the idea of death clashes.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. ix. 220. The power thus assumed by the House of Lords clashes with the fundamental rights of the people of having trial by jury.
1878. Black, Green Past., xxi. 169. Whenever her wishes clashed with his.
5. To strike in conflict, to attack with clashing or violence. (Cf. dash.)
a. intr. with at, against, into, etc.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 43. I suppose his intent therein is … to disparage it, having clash’d at it divers times in his Tract.
1852. Tennyson, Ode Wellington, vi. 21. He … Against the myriads of Assaye Clash’d with his fiery few and won.
1875. Farrar, Silence & Voices, iii. 61. Ninety years after her handful of heroes had clashed into the countless hosts of Persia and routed them.
b. trans.
1685. F. Spence, House of Medici, 420. Secret Crimes and those that did not directly clash the Authority of the Holy See … were neither call’d to account, nor punish’d.
1872. Tennyson, Gareth & Lynette (1878), 387. Till at length Sir Gareth’s brand Clash’d his, and brake it utterly to the hilt.
6. trans. To strike (a person, etc.) heavily with anything that produces a clashing sound, e.g., with a pailful of liquid. Sc.
1508. Dunbar, Flyting, 232. Sum claschis the, sum cloddis the on the cutis.
1807. Stagg, Poems, 12. Some there war at clash’t their keytes Till they war fairly yether’d Wi’ drink that day.
7. To throw (something) violently, so that it strikes with a clashing sound; nearly = dash. Often with down. Sc.
1805. A. Scott, Poems, 178 (Jam.). Heavy dashes against me clashes Of sleet and rain that most fiercely blow.
1807. Stagg, Poems, 91. At Seymie’s chafts she clash’d The whart, the glass at Jack she dash’d.
Mod. Sc. They clashed pailfuls of water on the walls.
8. To bang, slam (a door, etc.). Obs. exc. dial.
a. 1637. W. Lisle, trans. Heliodorus’ Hist., I. (1688), 15 (N.).
| Then Thisbe, as though some man thence made a breach | |
| Cries-out, th’ adulter’s gone, and clasht the dore. |
1825–79. Jamieson, Clash, to bang a door or shut it with violence. ‘I clash’d the dore in his face’ Roxb.
1876. Robinson, Whitby Gloss. (E. D. S.), Clash, to clap heavily as a banged door.
9. intr. To move with violence and noise. dial.
1876. Robinson, Whitby Gloss. (E. D. S.), Clashing, said of the jolting of a carriage. ‘We com clashing alang.’
10. intr. To talk recklessly or maliciously; to gossip. Sc.
1697. W. Cleland, Poems, 98 (Jam.). I will not stay to clash and quibble; About your nignayes, I’ll not nibble.
1722–30. Ramsay, Fables, x. Caterpillar & Ant. To stand up clashing with a thing, A creeping thing, the like of thee.
1784. Burns, Welcome to Illegit. Child, iii. The mair they talk I’m kent the better, E’en let them clash.
1876. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., Clash, to noise in the gossiping way.
1880. Antrim & Down Gloss., ‘He went and clashed on me.’
11. To clash up (Sc.): (cf. to knock up.)
1700. Sir A. Balfour, Lett. on Travelling, 52 (Jam.). Some few rooms clacht up against the face of a rock, like a bird cage upon the side of a wall.
1825–79. Jamieson, Clash up, to cause one object to adhere to another, by means of mortar, or otherwise. It generally implies the idea of projection on the part of the object adhering.
