v. Obs. [Origin uncertain.
Phonetically, cloyne answers exactly to OF. cluigner, clugner var. of cligner ‘to bring together the upper and lower eyelids so as to leave a very small interval between them,’ often to ‘wink,’ as the expression of secret understanding, cunning, or hypocrisy, as in ‘clignement d’œil, œil d’hypocrite’ (Paré, 16th c., in Littré). From this to our sense 1 appears to be an easy transition. (Cf. the history of connive.)]
1. intr. To act deceitfully or fraudulently, to cheat, deceive. Hence Cloyning vbl. sb.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 440. With holye oyle and watter, I can so cloyne and clatter. Ibid., Sel. Wks. (1849), 170. With the cloynings of your conjurers, and the conveyances of your Sorcerers. Ibid., 391. To have their faults opened, and their cloning colours condemned.
1569. T. Stocker, Diod. Sic., II. xxii. 68/2. He … mistrusted his crafty cloyning.
2. intr. ? To have a secret understanding, to conspire.
1556. Abp. Parker, Psalter xciii. 266. They cloyne in one: in companies, agaynst this just man’s lyfe.
3. trans. To take cunningly, furtively or fraudulently; to grab.
1549. J. Olde, Erasm. Par., Ephes., Prol. civ. To instigate men, in pretense of the ghospell, to scrape and cloyne in to their handes as muche possession as they can.
1555. Fardle Facions, I. v. 57. And not geue hym selfe to couetous cloinyng, and hourdyng of tresure.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, VI. R j. My goodly spouse this while my wepons al [a]way she cloinde, From al my house, and from my head my trusty sword purloind.
1566. J. Studley, Seneca’s Medea, A iij. To cloyne away the forren golde with greedy snatching hand.
Hence Cloyner, a cheat, deceiver.
c. 1550. Bale, K. Johan (1838), 69. Amonge craftye cloyners there hath not bene a gretter. Ibid. (1552), Apol., 39. Thys croked cloyner, cloughteth me in a patche of the lattre parte.
