Obs. exc. s. w. dial. Forms: 1 clám, [5 clome, 7 cloame, in the verb], 8 cloume, 7–9 clome, 9 (clomb), cloam; see also CLOOM. [OE. clám mud, clay, corresp. to MDu. cleem clay, potter’s clay:—WGer. *klaim, a derivative, with -m suffix, of klĭ- to daub, smear (root of CLAY); cf. ON. kleima, OHG. chleimen, MDu. clêmen to daub, besmear.] In O.E. Mud, clay. Hence, in mod. dial. use: Earthenware, clay.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 84. Wyrc swa [the ingredients] to clame.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. i. 14. Mid heardum weorcum clames and tiʓelan.
1659. Clobery, Div. Glimpses, 95. Season thy new-made clome with sipid liquor.
1746. Exmoor Scolding (E. D. S.), 52.
a. 1819. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Poems, Wks. 159 (D.). Now, zester Nan, by this yow zee … What’s cheny thoft is clome.
1865. R. Hunt, Pop. Romances W. Eng., Ser. I. 96. A set of cheene [china] and lots of beautiful clome.
1881. Blackmore, Christowell, iv. He spied … certain letters, invisible until the cloam was wetted.
b. attrib. or adj.
1750. R. Pococke, Trav. (Cornw.) (1888), 135. Cloume ovens … are earthen ware of several sizes, like an oven, and being heated they stop ’em up and cover ’em over with embers to keep in the heat.
1827. Hone, Every-day Bk., II. 1652. Earthenware shops … are called … clome or clomen shops … in Devon.
1862. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, I. i. 4–5 (D.). That should depend on the pitcher, whether it were iron or clomb.
