Chapter C: G. T (9)

2. A candidate for graduation in arts who is placed in an honor class, as opposed to a passman, who is not classified. [Oxford, Eng.]

CLASSMATE Class"mate`, n.

Defn: One who is in the same class with another, as at school or college.

CLASTIC Clas"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Pertaining to what may be taken apart; as, clastic anatomy (of models).

2. (Min.)

Defn: Fragmental; made up of brokas, sandstone is a clastic rock.

CLATCH Clatch, n. [Cf. Scot. clatch a slap, the noise caused by the collision of soft bodies; prob. of imitative origin.] (Scot. & Dial. Eng.)

1. A soft or sloppy lump or mass; as, to throw a clatch of mud.

2. Anything put together or made in a careless or slipshod way; hence, a sluttish or slipshod woman.

CLATCH Clatch, v. t. & i.

Defn: To daub or smear, as with lime; to make or finish in a slipshod way. [Scot.]

CLATHRATE Clath"rate, a. Etym: [L. clathri latti

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Shaped like a lattice; cancellate. Gray.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the surface marked with raised lines resembling a lattice, as many shells.

CLATTER Clat"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Clattered; p. pr. & vb. n. Clattering.] Etym: [AS. cla a rattle, akin to D. klateren to rattle. Cf. Clack.]

1. To make a rattling sound by striking hard bodies together; to make a succession of abrupt, rattling sounds. Clattering loud with clamk. Longfellow.

2. To talk fast and noisily; to rattle with the tongue. I see thou dost but clatter. Spenser.

CLATTER Clat"ter, v. t.

Defn: To make a rattling noise with. You clatter still your brazen kettle. Swift.

CLATTER Clat"ter, n.

1. A rattling noise, esp. that made by the collision of hard bodies; also, any loud, abrupt sound; a repetition of abrupt sounds. The goose let fall a golden egg With cackle and with clatter. Tennyson.

2. Commotion; disturbance. "Those mighty feats which made such a clatter in story." Barrow.

3. Rapid, noisy talk; babble; chatter. "Hold still thy clatter." Towneley Myst. (15 th Cent. ). Throw by your clatter And handle the matter. B. Jonson

CLATTERER Clat"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who clatters.

CLATTERINGLY Clat"ter*ing*ly, adv.

Defn: With clattering.

CLAUDE LORRAINE GLASS Claude" Lor*raine" glass`. Etym: [Its name is supposed to be derived from the similarity of the effects it gives to those of a picture by Claude Lorrain (often written Lorraine).]

Defn: A slightly convex mirror, commonly of black glass, used as a toy for viewing the reflected landscape.

CLAUDENT Clau"dent, a. Etym: [L. claudens, p. pr. of claudere to shut.]

Defn: Shutting; confining; drawing together; as, a claudent muscle. [R.] Jonson

CLAUDICANT Clau"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. claudicans, p. pr. of claudicare to limp, fr. claudus lame.]

Defn: Limping. [R.]

CLAUDICATION Clau`di*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. claudicatio.]

Defn: A halting or limping. [R.] Tatler.

CLAUSE Clause, n. Etym: [F. clause, LL. clausa, equiv. to L. clausula clause, prop., close of claudere to shut, to end. See Close.]

1. A separate portion of a written paper, paragraph, or sentence; an article, stipulation, or proviso, in a legal document. The usual attestation clause to a will. Bouvier.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A subordinate portion or a subdivision of a sentence containing a subject and its predicate.

CLAUSE Clause, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Letters clause or close, under Letter.

CLAUSTRAL Claus"tral, a. Etym: [F., fr. LL. claustralis, fr. L. claustrum. See Cloister.]

Defn: Cloistral. Ayliffe

CLAUSTRUM Claus"trum, n.; pl. Claustra. Etym: [L., a bolt or bar.] (Anat.)

Defn: A thin lamina of gray matter in each cerebral hemiphere of the brain of man. -- Claus"tral, a.

CLAUSULAR Clau"su*lar, a. Etym: [From L. clausula. See Clause, n.]

Defn: Consisting of, or having, clauses. Smart.

CLAUSURE Clau"sure, n. Etym: [L. clausura. See Closure.]

Defn: The act of shutting up or confining; confinement. [R.] Geddes.

CLAVATE; CLAVATED Cla"vate, Cla"va*ted, a. Etym: [L. clava club.] (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Club-shaped; having the form of a club; growing gradually thicker toward the top.

Note: [See Illust. of Antennae.]

CLAVE Clave,

Defn: imp. of Cleave. [Obs.]

CLAVECIN Clav"e*cin, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The harpsichord.

CLAVEL Cla"vel, n.

Defn: See Clevis.

CLAVELLATE Clav"el*late, a.

Defn: See Clavate.

CLAVELLATED Clav"el*la`ted, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. cineres clavelatti ashes of burnt lees or dregs of wine, F. clavel an inferior sort of soda, E. clavate.] (Old Chem.)

Defn: Said of potash, probably in reference to its having been obtained from billets of wood by burning. [Obs.]

CLAVER Clav"er, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Clover. Holland.

CLAVER Clav"er, n.

Defn: Frivolous or nonsensical talk; prattle; chattering. [Scot. & North of Eng.] Emmy found herself entirely at a loss in the midst of their clavers. Thackeray.

CLAVICHORD Clav"i*chord, n. Etym: [F. clavicorde, fr. L. clavis key + chorda string.] (Mus.)

Defn: A keyed stringed instrument, now superseded by the pianoforte. See Clarichord.

CLAVICLE Clav"i*cle, n. Etym: [F. clavicule, fr. L. clavicula a little key, tendril, dim. of clavis key, akin to claudere to shut. See Close, and cf. Clef.] (Anat.)

Defn: The collar bone, which is joined at one end to the scapula, or shoulder blade, and at the other to the sternum, or breastbone. In man each clavicle is shaped like the letter

CLAVICORN Clav"i*corn, a. Etym: [Cf. F. clavicorne.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having club-shaped antennæ. See Antennæ -- n.

Defn: One of the Clavicornes.

CLAVICORNES Clav`i*cor"nes, n. pl. Etym: [NL.; Fr. L. clava club + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of beetles having club-shaped antennæ.

CLAVICULAR Cla*vic"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. claviculaire. See Clavicle.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the clavicle.

CLAVIER Cla"vi*er ( F. ), n. Etym: [F., fr. L. clavis key.] (Mus.)

Defn: The keyboard of an organ, pianoforte, or harmonium.

Note: Clavier (

CLAVIFORM Clav"i*form, a. Etym: [L. clava club + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Club-shaped; clavate. Craig.

CLAVIGER Clav"i*ger, n. Etym: [L., fr. clavis key + gerere to carry.]

Defn: One who carries the keys of any place.

CLAVIGER Clav"i*ger, n. Etym: [L., fr. clava club + gerere to carry.]

Defn: One who carries a club; a club bearer.

CLAVIGEROUS Cla*vig"er*ous, a.

Defn: Bearing a club or a key.

CLAVIS Cla"vis, n.; pl. L. Claves, E. Clavises. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A key; a glossary.

CLAVUS Cla"vus, n. Etym: [L., a nail.]

Defn: A callous growth, esp. one the foot; a corn.

CLAVY Cla"vy, n.; pl. Clavies. Etym: [Cf. F. claveau centerpiece of an arch.] (Arch.)

Defn: A mantelpiece.

CLAW Claw, n. Etym: [AS. clawu, cla, cleó; akin to D. klaauw, G. Klaue, Icel. klo, SW. & Dan. klo, and perh. to E. clew.]

1. A sharp, hooked nail, as of a beast or bird.

2. The whole foot of an animal armed with hooked nails; the pinchers of a lobster, crab, etc.

3. Anything resembling the claw of an animal, as the curved and forked end of a hammer for drawing nails.

4. (Bot.)

Defn: A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, as the base of petals of the pink. Gray. Claw hammer, a hammer with one end of the metallic head cleft for use in extracting nails, etc. -- Claw hammer coat, a dress coat of the swallowtail pattern. [Slang] -- Claw sickness, foot rot, a disease affecting sheep.

CLAW Claw, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clawed; p. pr. & vb. n. Clawing.] Etym: [AS. clawan. See Claw, n.]

1. To pull, tear, or scratch with, or as with, claws or nails.

2. To relieve from some uneasy sensation, as by scratching; to tickle; hence, to flatter; to court. [Obs.] Rich men they claw, soothe up, and flatter; the poor they contemn and despise. Holland.

3. To rail at; to scold. [Obs.] In the aforesaid preamble, the king fairly claweth the great monasteries, wherein, saith he, religion, thanks be to God, is right well kept and observed; though he claweth them soon after in another acceptation. T. Fuller Claw me, claw thee, stand by me and I will stand by you; -- an old proverb. Tyndale. To claw away, to scold or revile. "The jade Fortune is to be clawed away for it, if you should lose it." L'Estrange. To claw (one) on the back, to tickle; to express approbation. (Obs.) Chaucer. -- To claw (one) on the gall, to find falt with; to vex. [Obs.] Chaucer.

CLAW Claw, v. i.

Defn: To scrape, scratch, or dig with a claw, or with the hand as a claw. "Clawing [in ash barrels] for bits of coal." W. D. Howells. To claw off (Naut.), to turn to windward and beat, to prevent falling on a lee shore.

CLAWBACK Claw"back`, n.

Defn: A flatterer or sycophant. [Obs.] "Take heed of these clawbacks." Latimer.

CLAWBACK Claw"back`, a.

Defn: Flattering; sycophantic. [Obs.] Like a clawback parasite. Bp. Hall.

CLAWBACK Claw"back`, v. t.

Defn: To flatter. [Obs.] Warner.

CLAWED Clawed, a.

Defn: Furnished with claws. N. Grew.

CLAWLESS Claw"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of claws.

CLAY Clay, n. Etym: [AS. clæg; akin to LG. klei, D. klei, and perh. to AS. clam clay, L. glus, gluten glue, Gr. glue. Cf. Clog.]

1. A soft earth, which is plastuc, or may be molded with the hands, consisting of hydrous silicate of alumunium. It is the result of the wearing down and decomposition, in part, of rocks containing aluminous minerals, as granite. Lime, magnesia, oxide of iron, and other ingredients, are often present as impurities.

2. (Poetry & Script.)

Defn: Earth in general, as representing the elementary particles of the human body; hence, the human body as formed from such particles. I also am formed out of the clay. Job xxxiii. 6. The earth is covered thick with other clay, Which her own clay shall cover. Byron. Bowlder clay. See under Bowlder. -- Brick clay, the common clay, containing some iron, and therefore turning red when burned. -- Clay cold, cold as clay or earth; lifeless; inanimate. -- Clay ironstone, an ore of iron consisting of the oxide or carbonate of iron mixed with clay or sand. -- Clay marl, a whitish, smooth, chalky clay. -- Clay mill, a mill for mixing and tempering clay; a pug mill. -- Clay pit, a pit where clay is dug. -- Clay slate (Min.), argillaceous schist; argillite. -- Fatty clays, clays having a greasy feel; they are chemical compounds of water, silica, and aluminia, as halloysite, bole, etc. -- Fire clay , a variety of clay, entirely free from lime, iron, or an alkali, and therefore infusible, and used for fire brick. -- Porcelain clay, a very pure variety, formed directly from the decomposition of feldspar, and often called kaolin. -- Potter's clay, a tolerably pure kind, free from iron.

CLAY Clay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Claying.]

1. To cover or manure with clay.

2. To clarify by filtering through clay, as sugar.

CLAY-BRAINED Clay"-brained`, a.

Defn: Stupid. [Obs.] Shak.

CLAYES Clayes, n. pl. Etym: [F. claie hurdle.] (Fort.)

Defn: Wattles, or hurdles, made with stakes interwoven with osiers, to cover lodgments. [Obs.]

CLAYEY Clay"ey, a.

Defn: Consisting of clay; abounding with clay; partaking of clay; like clay.

CLAYISH Clay"ish, a.

Defn: Partaking of the nature of clay, or containing particles of it.

CLAYMORE Clay"more`, n. Etym: [Gael. claidheamhmor a broadsword; Gael. claidheamh sword + mor great, large. Cf. Claymore.]

Defn: A large two-handed sword used formerly by the Scottish Highlanders.

CLAYTONIA Clay*to"ni*a, n. Etym: [Named after Dr.John Clayton, an American botanist.] (Bot.)

Defn: An American genus of perennial herbs with delicate blossoms; -- sometimes called spring beauty.

CLEADING Clead"ing, n. Etym: [Scot., clothing. See Cloth.]

1. A jacket or outer covering of wood, etc., to prevent radiation of heat, as from the boiler, cylinder. etc., of a steam engine.

2. The planking or boarding of a shaft, cofferdam, etc.

CLEAN Clean, a. [Compar. Cleaner (; superl. Cleanest.] Etym: [OE. clene, AS. cl; akin to OHG. chleini pure, neat, graceful, small, G. klein small, and perh. to W. glan clean, pure, bright; all perh. from a primitive, meaning bright, shining. Cf. Glair.]

1. Free from dirt or filth; as, clean clothes.

2. Free from that which is useless or injurious; without defects; as, clean land; clean timber.

3. Free from awkwardness; not bungling; adroit; dexterous; as, aclean trick; a clean leap over a fence.

4. Free from errors and vulgarisms; as, a clean style.

5. Free from restraint or neglect; complete; entire. When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of corners of thy field. Le

6. Free from moral defilement; sinless; pure. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Ps. li. 10 That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven Tennyson.

7. (Script.)

Defn: Free from ceremonial defilement.

8. Free from that which is corrupting to the morals; pure in tone; healthy. "Lothair is clean." F. Harrison.

9. Well-proportioned; shapely; as, clean limbs. A clean bill of health, a certificate from the proper authrity that a ship is free from infection. -- Clean breach. See under Breach, n., 4. -- To make a clean breast. See under Breast.

CLEAN Clean, adv.

1. Without limitation or remainder; quite; perfectly; wholly; entirely. "Domestic broils clean overblown." Shak. "Clean contrary." Milton. All the people were passed clean over Jordan. Josh. iii. 17.

2. Without miscarriage; not bunglingly; dexterously. [Obs.] "Pope came off clean with Homer." Henley.

CLEAN Clean, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cleaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaning.] Etym: [See Clean, a., and cf. Cleanse.]

Defn: To render clean; to free from whatever is foul, offensive, or extraneous; to purify; to cleanse. To clean out, to exhaust; to empty; to get away from (one) all his money. [Colloq.] De Quincey.

CLEAN-CUT Clean"-cut`, a.

Defn: See Clear-cut.

CLEANER Clean"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, cleans.

CLEANING Clean"ing, n.

1. The act of making clean.

2. The afterbirth of cows, ewes, etc. Gardner.

CLEANLILY Clean"li*ly, adv.

Defn: In a cleanly manner.

CLEAN-LIMBED Clean"-limbed`, a.

Defn: With well-proportioned, unblemished limbs; as, a clean-limbed young fellow. Dickens.

CLEANLINESS Clean"li*ness, n. Etym: [From Cleanly.]

Defn: State of being cleanly; neatness of person or dress. Cleanliness from head to heel. Swift.

CLEANLY Clean"ly, a. [Compar. Cleanlier; superl. Cleanliest.] Etym: [From Clean.]

1. Habitually clean; pure; innocent. "Cleanly joys." Glanvill. Some plain but cleanly country maid. Dryden. Displays her cleanly platter on the board. Goldsmith.

2. Cleansing; fitted to remove moisture; dirt, etc. [Obs.] "With cleanly powder dry their hair." Prior.

3. Adroit; skillful; dexterous; artful. [Obs.] Through his fine handling and his cleanly play. Spenser.

CLEANLY Clean"ly, adv.

1. In a clean manner; neatly. He was very cleanly dressed. Dickens.

2. Innocently; without stain. Shak.

3. Adroitly; dexterously. Middleton.

CLEANNESS Clean"ness, n. Etym: [AS. cl. See Clean.]

1. The state or quality of being clean.

2. Purity of life or language; freedom from licentious courses. Chaucer.

CLEANSABLE Cleans"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being cleansed. Sherwood.

CLEANSE Cleanse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cleansed; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleansing.] Etym: [AS. clænsian, fr. clæne clean. See Clean.]

Defn: To render clean; to free from fith, pollution, infection, guilt, etc.; to clean. If we walk in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i. 7. Can'st thou not minister to a mind diseased, And with some sweet oblivious antidote Cleanse the suffed bosom of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart Shak.

CLEANSER Cleans"er, n. Etym: [AS. cl.]

Defn: One who, or that which, cleanses; a detergent. Arbuthnot.

CLEAN-TIMBERED Clean"-tim`bered, a.

Defn: Well-propotioned; symmetrical. [Poetic] Shak.

CLEAR Clear, a. [Compar. Clearer; superl. Clearest.] Etym: [OE. cler, cleer, OF. cler, F. clair, fr.L. clarus, clear, broght, loud, distinct, renownwd; perh. akin to L. clamare to call, E. claim. Cf. Chanticleer, Clairvoyant, Claret, Clarufy.]

1. Free from opaqueness; transparent; bright; light; luminous; unclouded. The stream is so transparent, pure, and clear. Denham. Fair as the moon, clear as the sun. Canticles vi. 10.

2. Free from ambiquity or indistinctness; lucid; perspicuous; plain; evident; manifest; indubitable. One truth is clear; whatever is, is right. Pop

3. Able to perceive clearly; keen; acute; penetrating; discriminating; as, a clear intellect; a clear head. Mother of science! now I feel thy power Within me clear, not only to discern Things in their causes, but to trace the ways Of highest agents. Milton.

4. Not clouded with passion; serene; cheerful. With a countenance as clear As friendship wears at feasts. Shak.

5. Easily or distinctly heard; audible; canorous. Hark! the numbers soft and clear Gently steal upon the ear. Pope.

6. Without mixture; entirely pure; as, clear sand.

7. Without defect or blemish, such as freckles or knots; as, a clear complexion; clear lumber.

8. Free from guilt or stain; unblemished. Statesman, yet friend to truth! in soul sincere, In action faithful, and in honor clear. Pope.

9. Without diminution; in full; net; as, clear profit. I often wished that I had clear, For life, six hundred pounds a-year. Swift .

10. Free from impediment or obstruction; unobstructed; as, a clear view; to keep clear of debt. My companion . . . left the way clear for him. Addison.

11. Free from embarrassment; detention, etc. The cruel corporal whispered in my ear, Five pounds, if rightly tipped, would set me clear. Gay. Clear breach. See under Breach, n., 4. -- Clear days (Law.), days reckoned from one day to another, excluding both the first and last day; as, from Sunday to Sunday there are six clear days. -- Clear stuff, boards, planks, etc., free from knots.

Syn. -- Manifest; pure; unmixed; pellucid; transparent; luminous; obvious; visible; plain; evident; apparent; distinct; perspicuous. See Manifest.

CLEAR Clear, n. (Carp.)

Defn: Full extent; distance between extreme limits; especially; the distance between the nearest surfaces of two bodies, or the space between walls; as, a room ten feet square in the clear.

CLEAR Clear, adv.

1. In a clear manner; plainly. Now clear I understand What oft . . . thoughts have searched in vain. Milton.

2. Without limitation; wholly; quite; entirely; as, to cut a piece clear off.

CLEAR Clear, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cleared; p. pr. & vb. n. Clearing.]

1. To render bright, transparent, or undimmed; to free from clouds. He sweeps the skies and clears the cloudy north. Dryden.

2. To free from impurities; to clarify; to cleanse.

3. To free from obscurity or ambiguity; to relive of perplexity; to make perspicuous. Many knotty points there are Which all discuss, but few can clear. Prior.

4. To render more quick or acute, as the understanding; to make perspicacious. Our common prints would clear up their understandings. Addison

5. To free from impediment or incumbrance, from defilement, or from anything injurious, useless, or offensive; as, to clear land of trees or brushwood, or from stones; to clear the sight or the voice; to clear one's self from debt; -- often used with of, off, away, or out. Clear your mind of cant. Dr. Johnson. A statue lies hid in a block of marble; and the art of the statuary only clears away the superfluous matter. Addison.

6. To free from the imputation of guilt; to justify, vindicate, or acquit; -- often used with from before the thing imputed. I . . . am sure he will clear me from partiality. Dryden. How! wouldst thou clear rebellion Addison.

7. To leap or pass by, or over, without touching or fallure; as, to clear a hedge; to clear a reef.

8. To gain without deduction; to net. The profit which she cleared on the cargo. Macaulay. To clear a ship at the customhouse, to exhibit the documents required by law, give bonds, or perform other acts requisite, and procure a permission to sail, and such papers as the law requires. -- To clear a ship for action, or To clear for action (Naut.), to remove incumbrances from the decks, and prepare for an engagement. -- To clear the land (Naut.), to gain such a distance from shore as to have sea room, and be out of danger from the land. -- To clear hawse (Naut.), to disentangle the cables when twisted. -- To clear up, to explain; to dispel, as doubts, cares or fears.

CLEAR Clear, v. i.

1. To become free from clouds or fog; to become fair; -- often fallowed by up, off, or away. So foul a sky clears without a strom. Shak. Advise him to stay till the weather clears up. Swift.

2. To disengage one's self frpm incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free. [He that clears at once will relapse; for finding himself out of straits, he will revert to the customs; but he that cleareth by degrees induceth a habit of frugality. Bacon.

3. (Banking)

Defn: To make exchanges of checks and bills, and settle balances, as is done in a clearing house.

4. To obtain a clearance; as, the steamer cleared for Liverpool to- day. To clear out, to go or run away; to depart. [Colloq.]

CLEARAGE Clear"age, n.

Defn: The act of reforming anything; clearance. [R.]

CLEARANCE Clear"ance, n.

1. The act of clearing; as, to make a through clearance.

2. A certificate that a ship or vessel has been cleared at the customhouse; permission to sail. Every ship was subject to seizure for want of stamped clearances. Durke

3. Clear or net profit. Trollope.

4. (Mach.)

Defn: The distance by which one object clears another, as the distance between the piston and cylinder head at the end of a stroke in a steam engine, or the least distance between the point of a cogwell tooth and the bottom of a space between teeth of a wheel with which it engages. Clearance space (Steam engine), the space inclosed in one end of the cylinder, between the valve or valves and the piston, at the beginning of a stroke; waste room. It includes the space caused by the piston's clearance and the space in ports, passageways, etc. Its volume is often expressed as a certain proportion of the volume swept by the piston in a single stroke.

CLEARCOLE Clear"cole`, n. [F. claire colle clear glue; clair clear (f. claire) + colle glue, Gr. ]

Defn: A priming of size mixed with whiting or white lead, used in house painting, etc.; also, a size upon which gold leaf is applied in gilding.

CLEARCOLE Clear"cole`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clearcoled; p. pr. & vb. n. Clearcoling.]

Defn: To coat or paint with clearcole.

CLEAR-CUT Clear"-cut`, a.

1. Having a sharp, distinct outline, like that of a cameo. She has . . . a cold and clear-cut face. Tennyson.

2. Concisely and distinctly expressed.

CLEAREDNESS Clear"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being cleared. Imputed by his friends to the clearedness, by his foes to the searedness, of his conscience. T. Fuller.

CLEARER Clear"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, clears. Gold is a wonderful clearer of the understanding. Addison.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A tool of which the hemp for lines and twines, used by sailmakers, is finished.

CLEAR-HEADED Clear"-head`ed, a.

Defn: Having a clear understanding; quick of perception; intelligent. "He was laborious and clear-headed." Macaulay. -- Clear"-head`ed*ness, n.

CLEARING Clear"ing, n.

1. The act or process of making clear. The better clearing of this point. South.

2. A tract of land cleared of wood for cultivation. A lonely clearing on the shores of Moxie Lake. J. Burroughs.

3. A method adopted by banks and bankers for making an exchange of checks held by each against the others, and settling differences of accounts.

Note: In England, a similar method has been adopted by railroads for adjusting their accounts with each other.

4. The gross amount of the balances adjusted in the clearing house. Clearing house, the establishment where the business of clearing is carried on. See above, 3.

CLEARLY Clear"ly, adv.

Defn: In a clear manner.

CLEARNESS Clear"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being clear.

Syn. -- Clearness, Perspicuity. Clearness has reference to our ideas, and springs from a distinct conception of the subject under consideration. Perspicuity has reference to the mode of expressing our ideas and belongs essentially to style. Hence we speak of a writer as having clear ideas, a clear arrangement, and perspicuous phraseology. We do at times speak of a person's having great clearness of style; but in such cases we are usually thinking of the clearness of his ideas as manifested in language. "Whenever men think clearly, and are thoroughly interested, they express themselves with perspicuity and force." Robertson.

CLEAR-SEEING Clear"-see`ing, a.

Defn: Having a clear physical or mental vision; having a clear understanding.

CLEAR-SHINING Clear"-shin`ing, a.

Defn: Shining brightly. Shak.

CLEAR-SIGHTED Clear"-sight`ed, a.

Defn: Seeing with clearness; discerning; as, clear-sighted reason

CLEAR-SIGHTEDNESS Clear"-sight`ed*ness, n.

Defn: Acute discernment.

CLEARSTARCH Clear"starch`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clearstarched; p. pr. & vb. n. Clearstraching.]

Defn: To stiffen with starch, and then make clear by clapping with the hands; as, to clearstarch muslin.

CLEARSTARCHER Clear"starch`er, n.

Defn: One who clearstarches.

CLEARSTORY; CLERESTORY Clear"sto`ry, Clere"sto`ry, n. (Arch.)

Defn: The upper story of the nave of a church, containing windows, and rising above the aisle roofs.

CLEARWING Clear"wing`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A lepidop terous insect with partially transparent wings, of the family Ægeriadæ, of which the currant and peach-tree borers are examples.

CLEAT Cleat (klet), n. Etym: [OE. clete wedge; cf.D. kloot ball, Ger. kloss, klotz, lump. clod, MHG. kloz lump, ball, wedge, OHG. chloz ball, round mass.]

1. (Carp.)

Defn: A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A device made of wood or metal, having two arms, around which turns may be taken with a line or rope so as to hold securely and yet be readily released. It is bolted by the middle to a deck or mast, etc., or it may be lashed to a rope.

CLEAT Cleat, v. t.

Defn: To strengthen with a cleat.

CLEAVABLE Cleav"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of cleaving or being divided.

CLEAVAGE Cleav"age, n.

1. The act of cleaving or splitting.

2. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The quality possessed by many crystallized substances of splitting readily in one or more definite directions, in which the cohesive attraction is a minimum, affording more or less smooth surfaces; the direction of the dividing plane; a fragment obtained by cleaving, as of a diamond. See Parting.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Division into laminæ, like slate, with the lamination not necessarily parallel to the plane of deposition; -- usually produced by pressure. Basal cleavage, cleavage parallel to the base of a crystal, or to the plane of the lateral axes. -- Cell cleavage (Biol.), multiplication of cells by fission. See Segmentation. -- Cubuc cleavage, cleavage parallel to the faces of a cube. -- Diagonal cleavage, cleavage parallel to ta diagonal plane. -- Egg clavage. (Biol.) See Segmentation. -- Lateral cleavage, cleavage parallel to the lateral planes. -- Octahedral, Dodecahedral, or Rhombohedral, cleavage, cleavage parallel to the faces of an octahedron, dodecahedron, or rhombohedron. -- Prismatic cleavage, cleavage parallel to a vertical prism.

CLEAVE Cleave, v. i. [.. Cleaved (, Clave (, (Obs.); p. p. Cleaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] Etym: [OE. cleovien, clivien, cliven, AS. cleofian, clifian; akin to OS. klibon, G. kleben, LG. kliven, D. kleven, Dan. klæbe, Sw. klibba, and also to G. kleiben to cleve, paste, Icel. klifa to climb. Cf. Climb.]

1. To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling. My bones cleave to my skin. Ps. cii. 5. The diseases of Egypt . . . shall cleave unto thee. Deut. xxviii. 60. Sophistry cleaves close to and protects Sin's rotten trunk, concealing its defects. Cowper.

2. To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife. Gen. ii. 24. Cleave unto the Lord your God. Josh. xxiii. 8.

3. To fit; to be adapted; to assimilate. [Poetic.] New honors come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use. Shak.

CLEAVE Cleave, v. t. [imp. Cleft, Clave (, Clove (, (Obsolescent); p. p. Cleft, Cleaved ( or Cloven (; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] Etym: [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cleófan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben, Icel. kljufa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. klöve and prob. to Gr. glubere to peel. Cf. Cleft.]

1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut. O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Shak.

2. To pert or open naturally; to divide. Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws. Deut. xiv. 6.

CLEAVE Cleave, v. i.

Defn: To part; to open; to crack; to separate; as parts of bodies; as, the ground cleaves by frost. The Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst. Zech. xiv. 4.

CLEAVELANDITE Cleave"land*ite, n. Etym: [From Professor Parker Cleaveland.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of albite, white and lamellar in structure.

CLEAVER Cleav"er, n.

Defn: One who cleaves, or that which cleaves; especially, a butcher's instrument for cutting animal bodies into joints or pieces.

CLEAVERS Cleav"ers, n. Etym: [From Cleave to stick.] (Bot.)

Defn: A species of Galium (G. Aparine), having a fruit set with hooked bristles, which adhere to whatever they come in contact with; -- called also, goose grass, catchweed, etc.

CLECHE Clé`ché", a. Etym: [F. cléché.] (Her.)

Defn: Charged with another bearing of the same figure, and of the color of the field, so large that only a narrow border of the first bearing remains visible; -- said of any heraldic bearing. Compare Voided.

CLECHY Cle"chy, a.

Defn: See Cléché.

CLEDGE Cledge, n. Etym: [Cf. Clay.] (Mining.)

Defn: The upper stratum of fuller's earth.

CLEDGY Cledg"y, a.

Defn: Stiff, stubborn, clayey, or tenacious; as, a cledgy soil. Halliwell.

CLEE Clee, n.

Defn: A claw. [Holland.

CLEE Clee, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The redshank.

CLEEK Cleek, n.

1. A large hook or crook, as for a pot over a fire; specif., an iron- headed golf club with a straight, narrow face and a long shaft.

2. Act of cleeking; a clutch. [Scot.]

CLEEK Cleek, v. t. [pret. Claught; pret. & p. p. Cleeked; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleeking.] [ME. cleken, clechen, to seize, clutch; perh. akin to E. clutch.] [Scot & Dial. Eng.]

1.

Defn: To seize; clutch; snatch; catch; pluck.

2. To catch or draw out with a cleek, as a fish; to hook.

3. To hook or link (together); hence, to marry. Scott.

CLEF Clef, n. Etym: [F. clef key, a key in music, fr. L. clavis key. See Clavicle.] (Mus.)

Defn: A character used in musical notation to determine the position and pitch of the scale as represented on the staff.

Note: The clefs are three in number, called the C, F, and G clefs, and are probably corruptions or modifications of these letters. They indicate that the letters of absolute pitch belonging to the lines upon which they are placed, are respectively C, F, and G. The F or bass clef, and the G or treble clef, are fixed in their positions upon the staff. The C clef may have three positions. It may be placed upon the first or lower line of the staff, in which case it is called soprano clef, upon the third line, in which case it called alto clef, or upon the fourth line, in which case tenor clef. It rarely or never is placed upon the second line, except in ancient music. See other forms of C clef under C, 2. Alto clef, Bass clef. See under Alto, Bass.

CLEFT Cleft, imp. & p. p.

Defn: from Cleave.

CLEFT Cleft, a.

1. Divided; split; partly divided or split.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Incised nearly to the midrob; as, a cleft leaf.

CLEFT Cleft, n. Etym: [OE. clift; cf. Sw. klyft cave, den, Icel. kluft cleft, Dan. klöft, G. kluft. See Cleave to split and cf. 2d Clift, 1st Clough.]

1. A space or opening made by splitting; a crack; a crevice; as, the cleft of a rock. Is. ii. 21.

2. A piece made by splitting; as, a cleft of wood.

3. (Far.)

Defn: A disease in horses; a crack on the band of the pastern. Branchial clefts. See under Branchial.

Syn. -- Crack; crevice; fissure; chink; cranny.

CLEFT-FOOTED Cleft"-foot`ed, a.

Defn: Having a cloven foot.

CLEFTGRAFT Cleft"graft`, v. t.

Defn: To ingraft by cleaving the stock and inserting a scion. Mortimer.

CLEG Cleg, n. Etym: [Northern Eng. & Scot. gleg: cf. Gael. crethleag.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small breeze or horsefly. [North of Eng. & Scot.] Jamieson.

CLEISTOGAMIC; CLEISTOGAMOUS Cleis`to*gam"ic, Cleis*tog"a*mous a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having, beside the usual flowers, other minute, closed flowers, without petals or with minute petals; -- said of certain species of plants which possess flowers of two or more kinds, the closed ones being so constituted as to insure self-fertilization. Darwin.

CLEM Clem, v. t. & i. Etym: [Cf. clam to clog, or G. klemmen to pinch, Icel. kl, E. clamp.]

Defn: To starve; to famish. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

CLEMATIS Clem"a*tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of flowering plants, of many species, mostly climbers, having feathery styles, which greatly enlarge in the fruit; -- called also virgin's bower.

CLEMENCE Clem"ence, n.

Defn: Clemency. [Obs.] Spenser.

CLEMENCY Clem"en*cy, n.; pl. Clemencies. Etym: [L. clementia, fr. clemens mild, calm.]

1. Disposition to forgive and spare, as offenders; mildness of temper; gentleness; tenderness; mercy. Great clemency and tender zeal toward their subjects. Stowe. They had applied for the royal clemency. Macaulay.

2. Mildness or softness of the elements; as, the clemency of the season.

Syn. -- Mildness; tenderness; indulgence; lenity; mercy; gentleness; compassion; kindness.

CLEMENT Clem"ent, a. Etym: [L. clemens; -entis; cf. F. cl.]

Defn: Mild in temper and disposition; merciful; compassionate. Shak. -- Clem"ent*ly, adv.

CLEMENTINE Clem"ent*ine, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Clement, esp. to St.Clement of Rome and the spurious homilies attributed to him, or to Pope Clement V. and his compilations of canon law.

CLENCH Clench, n. & v. t.

Defn: See Clinch.

CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE Cle`o*pa"tra's nee"dle. [So named after Cleopatra, queen of Egypt.]

Defn: Either of two obelisks which were moved in ancient times from Heliopolis to Alexandria, one of which is now on the Thames Embankment in London, and the other in Central Park, in the City of New York.

Some writers consider that only the obelisk now in Central Park is properly called Cleopatra's needle.

CLEPE Clepe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cleped or; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleping. Cf. Ycleped.] Etym: [AS. clepan, cleopian, clipian, clypian, to cry, call.]

Defn: To call, or name. [Obs.] That other son was cleped Cambalo. Chaucer.

CLEPE Clepe, v. i.

Defn: To make appeal; to cry out. [Obs.] Wandering in woe, and to the heavens on high Cleping for vengeance of this treachery. Mir. for Mag.

CLEPSINE Clep"si*ne, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of freshwater leeches, furnished with a proboscis. They feed upon mollusks and worms.

CLEPSYDRA Clep"sy*dra, n. Etym: [L. from Gr.

Defn: A water clock; a contrivance for measuring time by the graduated flow of a liquid, as of water, through a small aperture. See Illust. in Appendix.

CLEPTOMANIA Clep`to*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: See Kleptomania.

CLERESTORY Clere"sto`ry, n.

Defn: Same as Clearstory.

CLERGEON Cler"geon, n. Etym: [F., dim. of clerc. See Clerk.]

Defn: A chorister boy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

CLERGIAL Cler"gi*al, a.

Defn: Learned; erudite; clercial. [Obs.] Chaucer.

CLERGICAL Cler"gi*cal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the clergy; clerical; clerkily; learned. [Obs.] Milton.

CLERGY Cler"gy, n. Etym: [OE. clergie, clergi, clerge, OF. clergie, F. clergie (fr. clerc clerc, fr. L. clericus priest) confused with OF. clergié, F. clergé, fr. LL. clericatus office of priest, monastic life, fr. L. clericus priest, LL. scholar, clerc. Both the Old French words meant clergy, in sense 1, the former having also sense 2. See Clerk.]

1. The body of men set apart, by due ordination, to the service of God, in the Christian church, in distinction from the laity; in England, usually restricted to the ministers of the Established Church. Hooker.

2. Learning; also, a learned profession. [Obs.] Sophictry . . . rhetoric, and other cleargy. Guy of Warwick. Put their second sons to learn some clergy. State Papers (1515).

3. The privilege or benefit of clergy. If convicted of a clergyable felony, he is entitled equally to his clergy after as before conviction. Blackstone. Benefit of clergy (Eng., Law), the exemption of the persons of clergymen from criminal process before a secular judge -- a privilege which was extended to all who could read, such persons being, in the eye of the law, clerici, or clerks. This privilege was abridged and modified by various statutes, and finally abolished in the reign of George IV. (1827). -- Regular clergy, Secular clergy See Regular, n., and Secular, a.

CLERGYABLE Cler"gy*a*ble, a.

Defn: Entitled to, or admitting, the benefit of clergy; as, a clergyable felony. Blackstone.

CLERGYMAN Cler"gy*man, n.; pl. Clergymen.

Defn: An ordained minister; a man regularly authorized to peach the gospel, and administer its ordinances; in England usually restricted to a minister of the Established Church.

CLERIC Cler"ic, n. Etym: [AS., fr. L. clericus. See Clerk.]

Defn: A clerk, a clergyman. [R.] Bp. Horsley.

CLERIC Cler"ic, a.

Defn: Same as Clerical.

CLERICAL Cler"ic*al, a. Etym: [LL. clericalis. See Clerk.]

1. Of or pertaining to the clergy; suitable for the clergy. "A clerical education." Burke.

2. Of or relating to a clerk or copyist, or to writing. "Clerical work." E. Everett. A clerical error, an error made in copying or writing.

CLERICALISM Cler"ic*al*ism, n.

Defn: An excessive devotion to the interests of the sacerdotal order; undue influence of the clergy; sacerdotalism.

CLERICITY Cler*ic"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state of being a clergyman.

CLERISY Cler"i*sy, n. Etym: [LL. clericia. See Clergy.]

1. The literati, or well educated class.

2. The clergy, or their opinions, as opposed to the laity.

CLERK Clerk (; in Eng. ; 277), n. Etym: [Either OF. clerc, fr. L. clericus a priest, or AS. clerc, cleric, clerk, priest, fr. L. clericus, fr. Gr. Clergy.]

1. A clergyman or ecclesiastic. [Obs.] All persons were styled clerks that served in the church of Christ. Ayliffe.

2. A man who could read; a scholar; a learned person; a man of letters. [Obs.] "Every one that could read . . . being accounted a clerk." Blackstone. He was no great clerk, but he was perfectly well versed in the interests of Europe. Burke.

3. A parish officer, being a layman who leads in reading the responses of the Episcopal church service, and otherwise assists in it. [Eng.] Hook. And like unlettered clerk still cry "Amen". Shak.

4. One employed to keep records or accounts; a scribe; an accountant; as, the clerk of a court; a town clerk. The clerk of the crown . . . withdrew the bill. Strype.

Note: In some cases, clerk is synonymous with secretary. A clerk is always an officer subordinate to a higher officer, board, corporation, or person; whereas a secretary may be either a subordinate or the head of an office or department.

5. An assistant in a shop or store. [U. S.]

CLERK-ALE Clerk"-ale` ( in Eng. , n.

Defn: A feast for the benefit of the parish clerk. [Eng.] T. Warton.

CLERKLESS Clerk"less, a.

Defn: Unlearned. [Obs.] E. Waterhouse.

CLERKLIKE Clerk"like`, a.

Defn: Scholarlike. [Obs.] Shak.

CLERKLINESS Clerk"li*ness, n.

Defn: Scholarship. [Obs.]

CLERKLY Clerk"ly, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a clerk. Cranmer.

CLERKLY Clerk"ly, adv.

Defn: In a scholarly manner. [Obs.] Shak.

CLERKSHIP Clerk"ship, n.

Defn: State, quality, or business of a clerk.

CLEROMANCY Cler"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy; cf. F. cléromancie.]

Defn: A divination by throwing dice or casting lots.

CLERONOMY Cle*ron"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Inheritance; heritage.

CLERSTORY Cler"sto`ry, n.

Defn: See Clearstory.

CLEVER Clev"er, a. Etym: [Origin uncertain. Cf. OE. cliver eager, AS. clyfer (in comp.) cloven; or clifer a claw, perh. connected with E. cleave to divide, split, the meaning of E. clever perh. coming from the idea of grasping, seizing (with the mind).]

1. Possessing quickness of intellect, skill, dexterity, talent, or adroitness; expert. Though there were many clever men in England during the latter half of the seventeenth century, there were only two great creative minds. Macaulay. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever. C. Kingsley.

2. Showing skill or adroitness in the doer or former; as, a clever speech; a clever trick. Byron.

3. Having fitness, propriety, or suitableness. "T would sound more clever To me and to my heirs forever. Swift.

4. Well-shaped; handsome. "The girl was a tight, clever wench as any was." Arbuthnot.

5. Good-natured; obliging. [U. S.]

Syn. -- See Smart.

CLEVERISH Clev"er*ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat clever. [R.]

CLEVERLY Clev"er*ly, adv.

Defn: In a clever manner. Never was man so clever absurd. C. Smart.

CLEVERNESS Clev"er*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being clever; skill; dexterity; adroitness.

Syn. -- See Ingenuity.

CLEVIS Clev"is, n. Etym: [Cf. Cleave to adhere, Clavel.]

Defn: A piece of metal bent in the form of an oxbow, with the two ends perforated to receive a pin, used on the end of the tongue of a plow, wagen, etc., to attach it to a draft chain, whiffletree, etc.; -- called also clavel, clevy.

CLEW; CLUE Clew, Clue, n. Etym: [OE. clewe, clowe, clue, AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen, OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, knäuel, and perch. to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor. Perch. akin to E. claw. *26. Cf. Knawel.]

1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself. Untwisting his deceitful clew. Spenser.

2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the solution of a mystery. The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the vast and intricate maze of countinental politics, was in his hands. Macaulay.

3. (Naut.) (a.)

Defn: A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore- and-aft sail. (b.)

Defn: A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail. (c.)

Defn: A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended. Clew garnet (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards. -- Clew line (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or royal, is run up to its yard. -- Clew-line block (Naut.), The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block.

CLEW Clew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. & vb. n. Clewing.] Etym: [Cf. D. kluwenen. See Clew, n.]

1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.] Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. Beau. && Fl.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews of a square sail to the yard. To clew down (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines. -- To clew up (Naut.), to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for furling.

CLICHE Cli`ché", n. Etym: [F. cliché, from clicher to stereotype.]

Defn: A stereotype plate or any similar reproduction of ornament, or lettering, in relief. Cliché casting, a mode of obtaining an impression from a die or woodcut, or the like, by striking it suddenly upon metal which has been fused and is just becoming solid; also, the casting so obtained.

CLICK Click, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Clicked; p. pr. & vb. n. Clicking.] Etym: [Prob. an onomatopoetic word: cf. OF. cliquier. See Clack, and cf. Clink, Clique.]

Defn: To make a slight, sharp noise (or a succession of such noises), as by gentle striking; to tick. The varnished clock that clicked behind the door. Goldsmith.

CLICK Click, v. t.

1. To more with the sound of a click. She clicked back the bolt which held the window sash. Thackeray.

2. To cause to make a clicking noise, as by striking together, or against something. [Jove] clicked all his marble thumbs. Ben Jonson. When merry milkmaids click the latch. Tennyson.

CLICK Click, n.

1. A slight sharp noise, such as is made by the cocking of a pistol.

2. A kind of articulation used by the natives of Southern Africa, consisting in a sudden withdrawal of the end or some other portion of the tongue from a part of the mouth with which it is in contact, whereby a sharp, clicking sound is produced. The sounds are four in number, and are called cerebral, palatal, dental, and lateral clicks or clucks, the latter being the noise ordinarily used in urging a horse forward.

CLICK Click, v. t. Etym: [OE. kleken, clichen. Cf. Clutch.]

Defn: To snatch. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

CLICK Click, n. Etym: [Cf. 4th Click, and OF. clique latch.]

1. A detent, pawl, or ratchet, as that which catches the cogs of a ratchet wheel to prevent backward motion. See Illust. of Ratched wheel.

2. The latch of a door. [Prov. Eng.]

CLICK BEETLE Click" bee"tle. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Elater.

CLICKER Click"er, n.

1. One who stands before a shop door to invite people to buy. [Low, Eng.]

2. (Print.)

Defn: One who as has charge of the work of a companionship.

CLICKET Click"et, n. Etym: [OF. cliquet the latch of a door. See 5th Click.]

1. The knocker of a door. [Prov. Eng.]

2. A latch key. [Eng.] Chaucer.

CLICKY Click"y, a.

Defn: Resembling a click; abounding in clicks. "Their strange clicky language." The Century.

CLIDASTES Cli*das"tes, n. Etym: [NL., prob. from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of exinct marine reptiles, allied to the Mosasaurus. See Illust. in Appendix.

CLIENCY Cli"en*cy, n.

Defn: State of being a client.

CLIENT Cli"ent, n. Etym: [L. cliens, -emtis, for cluens, one who hears (in relation to his protector), a client, fr. L. cluere to be named or called; akin to Gr. çry, and E. loud: cf. F. client. See Loud.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A citizen who put himself under the protection of a man of distinction and influence, who was called his patron.

2. A dependent; one under the protection of another. I do think they are your friends and clients, And fearful to disturb you. B. Jonson.

3. (Law)

Defn: One who consults a legal adviser, or submits his cause to his management.

CLIENTAGE Cli"ent*age, n.

1. State of being client.

2. A body of clients. E. Everett.

CLIENTAL Cli*en"tal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a client. A dependent and cliental relation. Burke. I sat down in the cliental chair. Dickens.

CLIENTED Cli"ent*ed, a.

Defn: Supplied with clients. [R.] The least cliented pettifiggers. R. Carew.

CLIENTELAGE Cli*en"te*lage, n.

Defn: See Clientele, n., 2.

CLIENTELE Cli`en*tele" ( or ), n. Etym: [L. clientela: cf. F. clientèle.]

1. The condition or position of a client; clientship. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

2. The clients or dependents of a nobleman of patron.

3. The persons who make habitual use of the services of another person; one's clients, collectively; as, the clientele of a lawyer, doctor, notary, etc.

CLIENTSHIP Cli"ent*ship, n.

Defn: Condition of a client; state of being under the protection of a patron. Dryden.

CLIFF Cliff, n. Etym: [AS. clif, cloef; akin to OS. klif, D. klif, klip, Icel. klif, Dan. & G. klippe, Sw. klippa; perh. orig. a climbing place. See Climb.]

Defn: A high, steep rock; a precipice. Cliff swallow (Zoöl.), a North American swallow (Petrochelidon lunifrons), which builds its nest against cliffs; the eaves swallow.

CLIFF Cliff, n. (Mus.)

Defn: See Clef. [Obs.]

CLIFF LIMESTONE Cliff" lime"stone`. (Geol.)

Defn: A series of limestone strata found in Ohio and farther west, presenting bluffs along the rivers and valleys, formerly supposed to be of one formation, but now known to be partly Silurian and partly Devonian.

CLIFFY Cliff"y, a.

Defn: Having cliffs; broken; craggy.

CLIFT Clift, n. Etym: [See 1st Cliff, n.]

Defn: A cliff. [Obs.] That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly roar. Spenser.

CLIFT Clift, n. Etym: [See Cleft, n.]

1. A cleft of crack; a narrow opening. [Obs.]

2. The fork of the legs; the crotch. [Obs.] Chaucer.

CLIFTED Clift"ed, a. Etym: [From Clift a cleft.]

Defn: Broken; fissured. Climb the Andeclifted side. Grainger.

CLIMACTER Cli*mac"ter, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. climactère. See Climax.]

Defn: See Climacteric, n.

CLIMACTERIC Cli*mac"ter*ic ( or ; 277), a. Etym: [L. climactericus, Gr. Climacter.]

Defn: Relating to a climacteric; critical.

CLIMACTERIC Cli*mac"ter*ic, n.

1. A period in human life in which some great change is supposed to take place in the constitution. The critical periods are thought by some to be the years produced by multiplying 7 into the odd numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9; to which others add the 81st year.

2. Any critical period. It is your lot, as it was mine, to live during one of the grand climacterics of the world. Southey. Grand or Great climacteric, the sixty-third year of human life. I should hardly yield my rigid fibers to be regenerated by them; nor begin, in my grand climacteric, to squall in their new accents, or to stammer, in my second cradle, the elemental sounds of their barbarous metaphysics. Burke.

CLIMACTERICAL Clim`ac*ter"ic*al, a. & n.

Defn: See Climacteric. Evelyn.

CLIMACTIC Cli*mac"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a climax; forming, or of the nature of, a climax, or ascending series.

A fourth kind of parallelism . . . is still sufficiently marked to be noticed by the side of those described by Lowth, viz., climactic parallelism (sometimes called "ascending rhythm"). S. R. Driver.

CLIMATAL Cli"ma*tal, a.

Defn: Climatic. Dunglison.

CLIMATARCHIC Cli`ma*tar"chic, a. Etym: [Climate + Gr.

Defn: Presiding over, or regulating, climates.

CLIMATE Cli"mate, n. Etym: [F. climat, L. clima, -atis, fr. Gr. lean, v. i. See Lean, v. i., and cf. Clime.]

1. (Anc. Geog.)

Defn: One of thirty regions or zones, parallel to the equator, into which the surface of the earth from the equator to the pole was divided, according to the successive increase of the length of the midsummer day.

2. The condition of a place in relation to various phenomena of the atmosphere, as temperature, moisture, etc., especially as they affect animal or vegetable life.

CLIMATE Cli"mate, v. i.

Defn: To dwell. [Poetic] Shak.

CLIMATIC Cli*mat"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a climate; depending on, or limited by, a climate.

CLIMATICAL Cli*mat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Climatic.

CLIMATIZE Cli"ma*tize, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Climatized; p. pr. & vb. n. Climatizing.]

Defn: To acclimate or become acclimated.

CLIMATOGRAPHY Cli`ma*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Climate + -graphy.]

Defn: A description of climates.

CLIMATOLOGICAL Cli`ma*to*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to climatology.

CLIMATOLOGIST Cli`ma*tol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in, or who studies, climatology.

CLIMATOLOGY Cli`ma*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Climate + -logy: cf. F. climatologie.]

Defn: The science which treats of climates and investigates their phenomena and causes. Brande & C.

CLIMATURE Cli"ma*ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. climature.]

Defn: A climate. [Obs.] Shak.

CLIMAX Cli"max, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. Ladder, Lean, v. i.]

1. Upward movement; steady increase; gradation; ascent. Glanvill.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure of which the parts of a sentence or paragraph are so arranged that each sicceeding one rise "Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope" -- a happy climax. J. D. Forbes.

3. The highest point; the greatest degree. We must look higher for the climax of earthly good. I. Taylor. To cap the climax, to surpass everything, as in excellence or in absurdity. [Colloq.]

CLIMB Climb, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Climbed, Obs. or Vulgar Clomb (; p. pr. & vb. n. Climbing.] Etym: [AS. climban; akin to OHG. chlimban, G. & D. klimmen, Icel. klifa, and E. cleave to adhere.]

1. To ascend or mount laboriously, esp. by use of the hands and feet.

2. To ascend as if with effort; to rise to a higher point. Black vapors climb aloft, and cloud the day. Dryden.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: To ascend or creep upward by twining about a support, or by attaching itself by tendrills, rootlets, etc., to a support or upright surface.

CLIMB Climb, v. t.

Defn: To ascend, as by means of the hands and feet, or laboriously or slowly; to mount.

CLIMB Climb, n.

Defn: The act of one who climbs; ascent by climbing. Warburton.

CLIMBABLE Climb"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being climbed.

CLIMBER Climb"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, climbs: (a) (Bot.) A plant that climbs. (b) (Zoöl.) A bird that climbs, as a woodpecker or a parrot.

CLIMBER Climb"er, v. i. Etym: [From Climb; cf. Clamber.]

Defn: To climb; to mount with effort; to clamber. [Obs.] Tusser.

CLIMBING Climb"ing,

Defn: p. pr. & vb. n. of Climb. Climbing fern. See under Fern. -- Climbing perch. (Zoöl.) See Anabas, and Labyrinthici.

CLIME Clime, n. Etym: [L. clima. See Climate.]

Defn: A climate; a tract or region of the earth. See Climate. Turn we to sutvey, Where rougher climes a nobler race display. Goldsmith.

CLINANTHIUM Cli*nan"thi*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The receptacle of the flowers in a composite plant; -- also called clinium.

CLINCH Clinch (; 224), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clinched; p. pr. & vb. n. Clinching.] Etym: [OE. clenchen, prop. causative of clink to cause to clink, to strike; cf. D. klinken to tinkle, rivet. See Clink.]

1. To hold firmly; to hold fast by grasping or embracing tightly. "Clinch the pointed spear." Dryden.

2. To set closely together; to close tightly; as, to clinch the teeth or the first. Swift.