Forms: 1–5 clot(t, 4–7 clotte, (3 clute, 3–5 clote), 3– clot. [OE. clott, clot, corresp. to MHG. kloz, (klotzes), mod.Ger. klotz lump, block (of wood), pointing to WGer. klott-:—OTeut. *klutto- masc. or neuter. This word, of which few examples have come down to us from the earlier stages, is a weak-grade deriv. of the same root which has given Du. klos block, log, and CLEAT, OHG. chloz, Ger. klosz lump, wedge, ball, etc.; the pre-Teut. forms being *glud-no·-, glud-to·-, and glow·do- respectively. See also CLOD.
The root *glud-, gleud-, appears to have been a derivative form of glu-, gleu-, ‘glomerare’: cf. CLOD, CLEW.]
1. gen. A mass, lump, rounded mass: esp. one formed by cohesion or congelation.
a. 1000. Gloss, in Haupt’s Zeitschr., IX. 488. Massa, of clyne vel clottum.
c. 1305. Judas Iscariot, 25, in E. E. P. (1862), 108. Þe see him [Judas] hurlede vp and doun as a liþer clot.
1387. Trevisa, Descr. Brit. (Caxton), 6. There the fyre slaketh hit chaungeth in to stone clottes. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., XVI. xlvii. (Tollem. MS.). Clot [ed. 1495 clotte] is ordeynid of gaderynge of pouder in a clustre, for erþe bounde and clonge to gederes is a clot.
a. 1400. Pistel Susan, 111 (Cott. MS.). The columbyne, þe caraway in clottys þey cleue.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xxiii. (1877), I. 352. The embers … congealed into clots of hard stone.
1598. Stow, Surv. (1754), I. I. vi. 31/1. Clots of gold.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 120. Marle … fetcht out of the ground in clots or lumps.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 189. Assa-Fœtida is a gum in great yellow Clots.
1855. Cdl. Wiseman, Fabiola, 275. Crumbled like a clot of dust in his hands.
1887. Hall Caine, Deemster, xxv. 161. A great clot of soil might give way above … him.
2. A semi-solid lump formed of coagulated or curdled liquid, or of melted material.
[1365. Durh. Halmote Rolls (Surtees), 39. Ardebant clotes olei unde malus odor exiet.]
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 206. Whiche threwe … clottes of myre at hym.
a. 1626. Bacon, Wks. (1740), III. 226 (J.). The white of an egg with spirit of wine, doth bake the egg into clots as if it began to poch.
1834. J. Forbes, Laennec’s Dis. Chest, 63. He expectorated an immense clot of mucus.
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 172. The clots which form … constitute the finest and most delicate butter.
b. spec. of blood.
1611. Cotgr., Grumeau de sang, a clot, or clutter of congealed bloud.
1676. Wiseman, Chirurg. Treat., I. xvi. 73 (J.). The Opening it self was stopt with a clot of grumous blood.
1829. Hood, Eug. Aram, xviii. For every clot a burning spot Was scorching in my brain.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 701. They filled a bowl of wine and cast in a clot of blood for each of them.
c. Hence The clot: that part of blood which turns solid, and separates from the serum or permanently liquid part.
1802. A. Duncan, Annals Med., I. Lustr. II. 113. When the blood … has given out all the serum … the coagulated mass which swims in the middle, is known by the name of the Clot.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg., I. 15. That this ‘buffy coat’ is due to the fact that the blood-corpuscles subside in the liquor sanguinis during coagulation, leaving the upper portion of the clot colourless.
1881. Mivart, Cat, 194. Sometimes the clot is of a lighter colour above than below, showing that the clot itself consists of two elements.
† 3. A hardened lump of earth. In this sense still dialectal; in the literary language CLOD has taken its place. Obs. a. with clay, earth, etc., expressed.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24026 (Cott.). O clai þai kest at him þe clote [v.r. clot, clott, clotte].
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, I. iv. (1859), 5. A clote of black erthe.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxviii. 6. Where ye clottes of the earth are golde.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, I. III. lxiv. He wox like earthly clot.
b. without qualification: = CLOD.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 856. Al-þaȝ oure corses in clottez clynge.
c. 1475[?]. Hunt. Hare, 91. Then euery man had a mall, Syche as thei betyn clottys withall.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 15. This harrowe is good to breake the greatte clottes.
1570. Levins, Manip., 176/23. A clot, gleba.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 107. Clottes from the faugh field.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., iv. § 5 (1681), 45. It must be finely harrowed, and all Clots, Stones, Turfs, &c. picked away.
1876–88. in Glossaries of Cumberland, Yorksh., N. W. Linc., Leicestersh., Berkshire, I. of Wight.
1876. Mid Yorksh. Gloss., ‘As cold as a clot.’
1877. Holderness Gloss., Clot, a clod of earth … (‘clot of blood’ not used).
c. as collective singular, or as name of the substance: Cloddy earth or clay.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 320. Þy corse in clot mot calder k[l]eue.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xlvi. (1495), 568. Saphire stones the place thereof and clott [glebæ] therof is gold.
1568. T. Howell, Arb. Amitie (1879), 60. Dead and cladde with clot of clay.
d. A clod with the grass on it; a sod.
1460. Medulla Gram., in Promp. Parv., 83. Gleba est durus cespes cum herba, an harde klotte.
1483. Cath. Angl., 68. A Clotte, cespis.
1881. Leicestersh. Gloss., Clot, a clod, a sod.
4. fig. A dull fellow, a CLOD. Still dial.
1632. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, I. i. Feats of fine understanding To abuse clots and clowns with.
1876. Whitby Gloss., Clot, a clumsy fellow.
† 5. A hill, or ? mound. Obs. rare.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 788. Þe hyl of Syon þat semly clot.
† 6. ? The stump of a tree or plant. Obs. rare.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 53. Some of the Leafe some of the Clot, some of the Head, some of both.
7. Comb. CLOT-BIRD, -PATE, -POLL. Also clot-head (dial.) = CLOT-PATE; clot-cold adj.
1878. Cumbrld. Gloss., Clot-heed, a stupid person.
1888. Sheffield Gloss., 45. A dead man is said to be clot-cold.
