Also cley. [a. F. claie, in 14th c. claye, in same sense; OF. also cloie from orig. cleie, in Pr. cleda:—late L. clēta (cf. sēta, seda; seie, soie; SAYE), in med.L. also clida, clia. The dim. clētella occurs in Greg. of Tours; the late L. clēta was prob. of Celtic origin: cf. Ir. cliath, Welsh clwyd, Corn. cluit, Breton cloued, all going back to an original clēta, and all meaning ‘hurdle.’ Du Cange has the med.L. forms cleia, claia, cloia, chloëa, clida, also cleida, clita, clada, clades, claga: cf. CLATE.] A hurdle (see quots.).

1

[c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-W. 126/16. Cleta, cratis, hyrdel. Ibid. (c. 1150), 547/38. Cleta, hurdel.

2

c. 1307.  Lett. Edw. II., Rymer III. 32/1. Pontes et claias pro instanti passagio nostro.

3

Charter, in Somner, Tract. de Gavelkend, 190. Pro 18 cladibus faciendis ad ovile. Du Cange.]

4

1708–21.  Kersey, Claye (F.), a Hurdle of Rods wattled together: in Fortification, Clayes are Wattles made of strong Stakes interwoven with Osiers … to cover Lodgments, with Earth heap’d on them. Cley (country-wd.), a Hurdle for penning or folding Sheep.

5

1721–1800.  Bailey, Clayes; also Cley as in Kersey.

6