释义 |
▪ I. clof, cloff Sc. and north. dial. In 6 pl. cloiffis, 7 pl. cloffes, 8 Sc. claff. [Cf. ON. klof the cleaving or fork of the legs; klofi a cleft or rift in a hill, corresp. to OLG. kloƀo, OHG. chlobo a cleft; f. weak grade of kleuƀ- to cleave. The latter would more properly give clōve, the former cloff; the vowel of the dial. word is doubtful.] A cleft, fissure, parting: †a. the ‘fork’ of the legs; = cleaving vbl. n.1 2, cleft 2 (obs.); b. the cleft of a tree, where the branches part; c. ‘a cleft between adjacent hills’ (Jam.); = clove n.4
c1538Lyndesay Syde Taillis 80 Consider giue thare Cloiffis be clene. a1605Montgomerie Flyting 60 Whether thou wilt..kisse all cloffes that stands beside. 1789D. Davidson Seasons 43 (Jam.) There, in the claff O' branchy oak..The ring-dove has her nest. 1808Jamieson, Cloff, the cleft of a tree. 1865Cornhill Mag. 38 The Northcountryman..talks of the clough [error for cloff or cluff] of the tree. ▪ II. clof obs. form of clove, pa. tense of cleave v. and of clove n.1 |