clackn.
/klak/, U.S. /klæk/ I. Of mechanical sounds, etc.† 3.
1. A sharp, sudden, dry sound as of two flat pieces of wood striking each other, partaking of the character of a clap and a crack.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [noun] > knack or clack
knackingc1380
clacking1565
knack1565
clack1598
clack-clack1849
1590 R. Harvey Plaine Percevall sig. B2 The clacke of thy mill, is somewhat noisome.]
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Castagnette, little shels..to make a noise or sound or clack with their fingers.
1674 W. Petty Disc. before Royal Soc. 100 In all Breast- and Under~shot-Mills..to count the Clacks, Revolutions or Stroaks made within the Time.
1832 D. Brewster Lett. Nat. Magic xi. 274 The clacks produced by the swivel of a ratchet-wheel.
1861 L. L. Noble After Icebergs 311 Hitting upon the wooden latch, up it came with a jerk and a clack that went..to the ears of every sleeper.
1868 W. Morris Earthly Paradise i. 157 The great wheel's measured clack.
2. An instrument which makes this noise.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [noun] > knack or clack > thing which
clack1611
knackera1627
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Cliquette,..also, a childs rattle, or clacke.
1838 W. J. Thoms Anecd. & Trad. 113 (Halliw.) at Clacker ‘Clacks of wood,’ small pieces of wood to clap with.
a. The clapper of a mill; an instrument which by striking the hopper causes the corn to be shaken into the mill-stones. Obsolete.
ΘΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > milling or grinding > [noun] > corn-mill > clapper
mill clapperc1200
clap?c1225
mill-clack1264
clapper1340
clackc1440
clacket1594
knap1622
clacker1636
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum Clappe or clakke of a mille, tarantara, batillus.
1580 C. Hollyband Treasurie French Tong Claquet de moulin, the clacke or clapper of a mill.
1708 Brit. Apollo 19–21 May The Miller's Clacks and the Lawyer's Clacks are in perpetual Motion.
b. ‘A bell that rings, when more corn is required to be put in’ (Johnson); ‘a mill-hopper alarm’.
4. A rattle, worked by the wind, to scare away birds.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > tools and implements > sowing and planting equipment > [noun] > bird-scarer
scarlec1440
scare1530
blencher1531
shail1531
fray-boggard1535
crow-keeper1562
malkinc1565
clacket1594
scarecrow1606
clap-mill1613
field keeper1620
shaw-fowl1621
bean-shatter1639
clapper1660
dudman1670
clack1678
hobidy-booby?1710
worricow1711
cherry-clapper1763
flay-crake1788
potato-bogle1815
cherry-clack1824
feather-piea1825
flay-crow1824
gally-baggar1825
gally-crow1825
bogle1830
tatie-bogle1838
shewel1888
scare-string1889
1678 J. Worlidge Vinetum Britannicum (ed. 2) 89 This far exceeds all Clacks and other devices to scare away the bold Bulfinch.
1824 T. Forster Perennial Cal. in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 877 The noisy cherryclack..drives its..windsails round.
5.
a. A form of valve in pumps, etc., consisting of a flap, hinged at one side, covering the aperture, which is opened by the upward motion of the fluid, and closes either by its weight, or by the fluid's backward pressure; often called a clack-valve.
ΘΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > pump > [noun] > valves
clap1626
clack1634
clapper1769
butterfly valve1809
suction valve1831
clack-valve1850
shoe-valve1858
butterfly clack1859
trap-valve1877
1634 J. Bate Myst. Nature & Art 8 A clacke is a peece of Leather nayled ouer any hole, hauing a peece of Lead to make it lie close, so that the ayre or water in any vessell may thereby bee kept from going out.
1728 J. T. Desaguliers in Philos. Trans. 1726–7 (Royal Soc.) 34 80 An inverted Brass Clack or Valve shutting upwards, and falling down by its own Weight.
?1790 J. Imison School of Arts (ed. 2) 169 A valve or clack, something like a trap-door, to shut downward.
1831 J. Holland Treat. Manuf. Metal I. 161 The lower board [of the] bellows..has a hole with a valve or clack.
1861 W. J. M. Rankine Man. Steam Engine 117 Valves, sometimes called clacks..intended for the purpose of permitting the passage of the fluid only, and stopping its return.
b. In locomotive engines the valve which closes the opening of the feed-pump into the boiler; generally a ball-valve.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > boiler > [noun] > parts of > valves
safety valve1744
clack1829
government valve1837
fusible plug1874
feed check valve1895
1829 ‘R. Stuart’ Anecd. Steam Engines I. 188 The return of the water is prevented by the usual means of a puppet-clack, or valve.
1849 J. Weale Rudim. Dict. Terms Archit. i. 103/1 A ball-clack..to close the orifice of the feed-pipe, and prevent steam or hot water reaching the pumps. The ball of the clack is raised from its seat by the stroke of the pump-plunger forcing the water against it.
II. Of the human voice, tongue, etc.† 9. A loquacious person, a chatterbox. Obsolete.
6. Din of speech, noise or clatter of human tongues; contemptuously, loquacious talk, chatter senseless or continuous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > [noun] > chatter
chirma800
clappingc1386
glavera1400
clapa1420
clackc1440
blabc1460
clattera1500
babble?a1525
babblery1532
pratery1533
clitter-clatter1535
by-talk?1551
prattle1555
prittle-prattle1556
twittle-twattle1565
cacquet1567
prate?1574
prattlement1579
babblement1595
gibble-gabble1600
gabble1602
twattlea1639
tolutiloquence1656
pratement1657
gaggle1668
leden1674
cackle1676
twit-twat1677
clash1685
chit-chat1710
chatter-chitter1711
chitter-chatter1712
palavering1732
hubble-bubble1735
palaver1748
rattle1748
gum1751
mag1778
gabber1780
gammon1781
gash1787
chattery1789
gabber1792
whitter-whatter1805
yabble1808
clacket1812
talky-talky1812
potter1818
yatter1827
blue streak1830
gabblement1831
psilologya1834
chin-music1834
patter1841
jaw1842
chatter1851
brabble1861
tongue-work1866
yacker1882
talkee1885
chelp1891
chattermag1895
whitter1897
burble1898
yap1907
clatfart1913
jive1928
logorrhœa1935
waffle1937
yackety-yacking1953
yack1958
yackety-yack1958
motormouth1976
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > absence of meaning > nonsense, rubbish > empty, idle talk > [noun]
windc1290
trotevalea1300
follyc1300
jangle1340
jangleryc1374
tongue1382
fablec1384
clapa1420
babbling?c1430
clackc1440
pratinga1470
waste?a1475
clattera1500
trattle1513
babble?a1525
tattlea1529
tittle-tattlea1529
chatc1530
babblery1532
bibble-babble1532
slaverings1535
trittle-trattle1563
prate?1574
babblement1595
pribble-prabble1595
pribble1603
morologya1614
pibble-pabblea1616
sounda1616
spitter-spatter1619
argology1623
vaniloquence1623
vaniloquy1623
drivelling1637
jabberment1645
blateration1656
onology1670
whittie-whattiea1687
stultiloquence1721
claver1722
blether1786
havera1796
jaunder1796
havering1808
slaver1825
yatter1827
bugaboo1833
flapdoodle1834
bavardage1835
maunder1835
tattlement1837
slabber1840
gup1848
faddle1850
chatter1851
cock1851
drivel1852
maundering1853
drooling1854
windbaggery1859
blither1866
javer1869
mush1876
slobber1886
guff1888
squit1893
drool1900
macaroni1924
jive1928
natter1943
shtick1948
old talk1956
yack1958
yackety-yack1958
ole talk1964
Haigspeak1981
c1440 York Myst. xxxiv. 211 Ther quenes vs comeres with þer clakke.
a1566 R. Edwards Damon & Pithias (1571) sig. Hij Abandon flatring toungues, whose clackes truth neuer tells.
1627 M. Drayton Moone-calfe in Battaile Agincourt 165 Who but one houre her lowd clack can endure.
1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 119 His Tongue ran on..And with it's Everlasting Clack, Set all Mens Ears upon the Rack.
1694 R. South 12 Serm. II. 158 Whose chief..intent is to Vaunt his spiritual Clack.
1709 J. Addison Tatler No. 102. ⁋1 The Clack of Tongues.
1781 J. Moore View Soc. Italy (1790) II. liv. 129 The aggregated clack of human voices.
1824 W. Irving Tales of Traveller I. 216 The tread of feet and clack of tongues.
7. A loud chat, a talk. (colloquial.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > conversation > [noun] > chatting or chat
confabulationc1450
device1490
chat1573
tittle-tattle?c1640
small talk1650
confab1701
chit-chat1710
jaw1748
small-talking1786
prose1787
rap1787
coze1804
talky-talky1812
clack1813
chit-chatting1823
cozey1837
gossip1849
mardlea1852
yarn1857
conflab1873
chinwag1879
chopsing1879
cooze1880
chatting1884
schmoozing1884
talky-talk1884
pitch1888
schmooze1895
coosy1903
wongi1929
yap1930
kibitz1931
natter1943
old talk1956
jaw-jaw1958
yacking1959
ole talk1964
rapping1967
1813 G. Colman Vagaries Vindicated 20 The merry chits maintain'd a half-quell'd clack.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xlvii. 436 Seven north country whaling captains..‘holding clack’ in our little cabin.
1888 J. Payn Myst. Mirbridge II. xviii. 197 The old fellow would have had a clack with her.
8. contemptuously. The tongue. (Cf. senses 2, 3.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > speech organs > types of speech organ > [noun] > tongue
tonguec890
clap?c1225
clacka1592
red rag1605
clicket1611
clappera1627
filma1656
velvet1699
Manchester1819
a1592 R. Greene Sc. Hist. Iames IV (1598) Prol. sig. A4 Haud your clacks lads.
1652 R. Brome Joviall Crew v. sig. M4 He must talk all. His Clack must onely go.
1740 S. Richardson Pamela I. xxiii. 61 And so, belike, their Clacks ran for half an Hour in my Praises.
1828 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I II. i. 23 Who, as washerwomen..at their work, could not hold their clack.
1864 E. Sargent Peculiar III. 76 To hermetically seal up this Mrs. Gentry's clack.
ΘΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > [noun] > talkative person
chaterestrea1250
jangler1303
babbler1366
blabbererc1375
jangleressc1386
talkerc1386
clatterer1388
cacklera1400
languager1436
carperc1440
mamblerc1450
praterc1500
jackdaw?1520
chewet1546
flibbertigibbet1549
clatterfart1552
patterer1552
piec1557
long tongue?1562
prattler1567
piet1574
twattler1577
brawler1581
nimble-chops1581
pratepie1582
roita1585
whittera1585
full-mouth1589
interprater1591
chatterer1592
pianet1594
bablatrice1595
parakeet1598
Bow-bell cockney1600
prattle-basket1602
bagpipe1603
worder1606
babliaminy1608
chougha1616
gabbler1624
blatterer1627
magpie1632
prate-apace1636
rattlea1637
clack1640
blateroon1647
overtalker1654
prate-roast1671
prattle-box1671
babelard1678
twattle-basket1688
mouth1699
tongue-pad1699
chatterista1704
rattler1709
morologist1727
chatterbox1774
palaverer1788
gabber1792
whitter-whatter1805
slangwhanger1807
nash-gab1816
pump1823
windbag1827
big mouth1834
gasbag1841
chattermag1844
tattle-monger1848
rattletrap1850
gasser1855
mouth almighty1864
clucker1869
talky-talky1869
gabster1870
loudmouth1870
tonguester1871
palaverista1873
mag1876
jawsmith1887
spieler1894
twitterer1895
yabbler1901
wordster1904
poofter1916
blatherer1920
ear-bender1922
burbler1923
woofer1934
ear-basher1944
motormouth1955
yacker1960
yammerer1978
jay-
1640 T. Fuller Joseph's Coat 4 They are but clacks and tel-tales for their paines.
1680 T. Otway Hist. Caius Marius ii. 23 That well-spoken Fool, That popular Clack.
Compounds
clack-box n. (a) the box or chamber which contains the clack-valve of a pump; (b) in locomotive engines the box or cage enclosing the clack (see 5b); (c) dialect ‘the mouth which contains a nimble tongue’ (Forby).
ΚΠ
1849 J. Weale Rudim. Dict. Terms Archit. i. 103/1 Clack-box, in locomotive engines, the box fitted on to the boiler where a ball-clack is placed.
clack-door n. an opening into the clack-box of a pump.
Π
1867 W. W. Smyth Treat. Coal & Coal-mining 181 If the water..rises above the clack-door before the change be made.
clack-mill n. a windmill rattle for scaring birds (see 4).
clack-seat n. (in locomotive engines) a recess in the feed pump, for the clack to fit in.
ΚΠ
1869 Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engin. Mag. 1 1144/2 Rise and fall of pump clack seat 3–16 in.
clack-valve n. see 5.
ΘΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > pump > [noun] > valves
clap1626
clack1634
clapper1769
butterfly valve1809
suction valve1831
clack-valve1850
shoe-valve1858
butterfly clack1859
trap-valve1877
1850 N. Kingsley Diary 112 Tried the pumps by takeing out the clack valve.
1858 D. Lardner Hand-bk. Nat. Philos.: Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, & Heat (new ed.) 114 The single clack valve is the most simple example of the class.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
clackv.1adv.
/klak/, U.S. /klæk/ A. v.1
1. intransitive. To chatter, prate, talk loquaciously. Said of chattering birds and human beings.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > be talkative [verb (intransitive)] > talk excessively or chatter
chavel?c1225
babblea1250
chattera1250
clacka1250
janglea1300
ganglec1300
clapc1315
mumblec1350
blabberc1375
carp1377
tatterc1380
garre1382
rattlec1400
clatter1401
chimec1405
gabc1405
pattera1450
smattera1450
languetc1450
pratec1460
chat1483
jabber1499
clittera1529
cackle1530
prattle1532
blatter1533
blab1535
to run on pattens1546
tattle1547
prittle-prattlea1555
trattlea1555
tittle-tattle1556
quiddlea1566
brabble1570
clicket1570
twattle1573
gabble1574
prittle1583
to like to hear oneself speak, talk1597
to word it1612
deblaterate1623
tongue1624
twitter1630
snatter1647
oversay1656
whiffle1706
to gallop away1711
splutter1728
gob1770
gibble-gabble1775
palaver1781
to talk (etc.) nineteen to the dozen1785
gammon1789
witter1808
yabble1808
yaff1808
mag1810
chelp1820
tongue-pad1825
yatter1825
potter1826
chipper1829
jaw-jaw1831
buzz1832
to shoot off one's mouth1864
yawp1872
blate1878
chin1884
yap1888
spiel1894
to talk (also lie, swear, etc.) a blue streak1895
to run off at the mouth1908
chattermag1909
clatfart1913
to talk a streak1915
to run one's mouth1916
natter1942
ear-bash1944
rabbit1950
yack1950
yacker1961
to eat parrot head (also bottom)1965
yacket1969
to twat on1996
a1250 Owl & Nightingale 81 Þi bile is stif and scharp and hoked..Þar mid þu clackest [v.r. clechest] oft and longe.
a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sloane) (1862) 38 To speke of bakun mete I wolde clake.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 692 Thus as mens imaginations ranne, so their tongues clacked.
1687 A. Lovell tr. C. de Bergerac Comical Hist. i. 121 The whole Mobile clacked with the Beak, in sign of Joy.
1800 Ann. Reg. 1798 (Otridge ed.) Poetry 447 Mark the pleader who clacks in his client's behalf, With my lud, and his ludship, three hours and a half.
1832 T. B. Macaulay Lett. in G. O. Trevelyan Life & Lett. Macaulay (1876) I. v. 267 He will sit clacking with an old woman for hours.
1863 C. C. Clarke Shakespeare-characters i. 20 The usual recipe for concocting a lady's maid, by making her clack like a mill-wheel.
2. transitive. To utter chatteringly, to blab.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > utter in a chattering manner [verb (transitive)]
cacklec1230
chattera1250
clapc1315
jangle1377
blabberc1380
trattlea1425
pratea1475
chat1483
prattlea1500
prittle-prattlea1555
gabble1566
blatter?1567
gaggle1577
clacket1579
knap1581
prittle1583
clack1590
volley1591
tattle1593
prabble1603
out-babble1649
garrulate1656
gabber?1661
chime1697
spiel1904
chitter-chatter1928
1590 R. Greene Neuer too Late i. 55 Tis not euer true, that what the heart thinketh the tongue clacketh.
1628 O. Felltham Resolves (new ed.) 183 Custome makes them clack out any thing their heedlesse fancy springs.
3. To cluck, or cackle, as a hen. Cf. clock v.1, cluck v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > hen or cock > [verb (intransitive)] > make sound (of hen)
clockOE
cacklec1230
chuckc1405
keckle1513
cluck1580
chuckle1690
clack1712
clucker1904
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 479. ⁋4 My hen clacks very much, but she brings me chickens.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Goose vi, in Poems (new ed.) I. 231 The more the white goose laid It clack'd and cackled louder.
1872 Tinsley Mag. Xmas. No. 17 My old mother used to say that every hen's got enough to do to look after its own chicks, and it clacks enough over that, goodness knows.
4. † b. transferred to similar actions. Obsolete.
a. intransitive. To make a sound intermediate between a clap and a crack, as a hard substance, such as a piece of wood, does in striking a hard surface. to clack (more commonly to crack) a whip.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [verb (intransitive)] > knack or clack
clack1530
knack1603
clapper1845
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 485/1 The myll gothe, for I here the clacke clacke..car je os le clacquet clacquer or clacqueter.
1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Aii/2 To Clacke, clangitare.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Claquer, to clacke, to clap, to clatter.
1717 Dict. Rusticum (ed. 2) at Capriole He [sc. a horse] Clacks or makes a Noise with them [sc. hind-legs].
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) viii. 67 Whip clacking on the shoulders.
1875 W. D. Howells Foregone Concl. 60 A woman clacking across the flags in her wooden heeled shoes.
ΚΠ
1716 E. Baynard Health 26 The Heart clacks on, and is a Mill, That's independent of the Will.
5. transitive. To cause (things) to make such a sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [verb (transitive)] > clack
clack1542
to cluck one's tongue1859
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xi. sig. F.ivv Euyl ale brewers and ale wyues..shuld clacke and ryng theyr tankardes at dym myls dale.
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words Castagnétte, little shels vsed of those that dance the canaries to clacke or snap with their fingers.
1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads xi. 163 He clackt his Whip.
1872 C. Darwin Expression Emotions Man & Animals 214 The Australians smacked and clacked their mouths at the sight of his horses and bullocks.
The verb stem used adverbially; At once, on the instant, pat, ‘slick’; cf. bang adv., plump adv., etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > immediacy > [adverb]
soonc825
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
rekeneOE
rekenlyOE
thereright971
anonOE
forth ona1000
coflyc1000
ferlyc1000
radlyOE
swiftlyc1000
unyoreOE
yareOE
at the forme (also first) wordOE
nowOE
shortlya1050
rightOE
here-rightlOE
right anonlOE
anonc1175
forthrightc1175
forthwithalc1175
skeetc1175
swithc1175
with and withc1175
anon-rightc1225
anon-rights?c1225
belivec1225
lightly?c1225
quickly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
hastilyc1275
i-radlichec1275
as soon asc1290
aright1297
bedenea1300
in little wevea1300
withoute(n dwella1300
alrightc1300
as fast (as)c1300
at firstc1300
in placec1300
in the placec1300
mididonec1300
outrightc1300
prestc1300
streck13..
titec1300
without delayc1300
that stounds1303
rada1325
readya1325
apacec1325
albedenec1330
as (also also) titec1330
as blivec1330
as line rightc1330
as straight as linec1330
in anec1330
in presentc1330
newlyc1330
suddenlyc1330
titelyc1330
yernec1330
as soon1340
prestly1340
streckly1340
swithly?1370
evenlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
rifelya1375
yeplya1375
at one blastc1380
fresha1382
ripelyc1384
presentc1385
presently1385
without arrestc1385
readilyc1390
in the twinkling of a looka1393
derflya1400
forwhya1400
skeetlya1400
straighta1400
swifta1400
maintenantc1400
out of handc1400
wightc1400
at a startc1405
immediately1420
incontinent1425
there and then1428
onenec1429
forwithc1430
downright?a1439
agatec1440
at a tricec1440
right forth1440
withouten wonec1440
whipc1460
forthwith1461
undelayed1470
incessantly1472
at a momentc1475
right nowc1475
synec1475
incontinently1484
promptly1490
in the nonce?a1500
uncontinent1506
on (upon, in) the instant1509
in short1513
at a clap1519
by and by1526
straightway1526
at a twitch1528
at the first chop1528
maintenantly1528
on a tricea1529
with a tricec1530
at once1531
belively1532
straightwaysa1533
short days1533
undelayedly1534
fro hand1535
indelayedly1535
straight forth1536
betimesc1540
livelyc1540
upononc1540
suddenly1544
at one (or a) dash?1550
at (the) first dash?1550
instantly1552
forth of hand1564
upon the nines1568
on the nail1569
at (also in, with) a thoughtc1572
indilately1572
summarily1578
at one (a) chop1581
amain1587
straightwise1588
extempore1593
presto1598
upon the place1600
directly1604
instant1604
just now1606
with a siserary1607
promiscuously1609
at (in) one (an) instant1611
on (also upon) the momenta1616
at (formerly also on or upon) sight1617
hand to fist1634
fastisha1650
nextly1657
to rights1663
straightaway1663
slap1672
at first bolt1676
point-blank1679
in point1680
offhand1686
instanter1688
sonica1688
flush1701
like a thought1720
in a crack1725
momentary1725
bumbye1727
clacka1734
plumba1734
right away1734
momentarily1739
momentaneously1753
in a snap1768
right off1771
straight an end1778
abruptedly1784
in a whistle1784
slap-bang1785
bang?1795
right off the reel1798
in a whiff1800
in a flash1801
like a shot1809
momently1812
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
in a gird1825
(all) in a rush1829
in (also at, on) short (also quick) order1830
straightly1830
toot sweetc1830
in two twos1838
rectly1843
quick-stick1844
short metre1848
right1849
at the drop of a (occasionally the) hat1854
off the hooks1860
quicksticks1860
straight off1873
bang off1886
away1887
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1890
ek dum1895
tout de suite1895
bung1899
one time1899
prompt1910
yesterday1911
in two ups1934
presto changeo1946
now-now1966
presto change1987
a1734 R. North Examen (1740) ii. v. §50 345 They went all, clack, to Conventicles, I'll warrant ye!
a1734 R. North Examen (1740) iii. vii. §44 535 The Money was not got; if that had fallen in clack, the King had compleated a Negotiation.
1835 R. M. Bird Hawks of Hawk-hollow II. xi. 115 It's just like sticking three bricks on an end; if you kick one, why down goes the second, and clack goes t'other.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† clackv.2
Obsolete.
transitive. To remove the dirty parts, esp. the tarry mark or ‘buist’ from (a fleece of wool). (Cf. clag v. 4.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > treating or processing textile materials > treating or processing wool > treat or process wool [verb (transitive)] > clean
clack1429
scour1467
backwash1775
1429 Act 8 Hen. VI xxii Great hinderance commeth to the King in his Customes and Subsidies by them that doe clack and force the good Woolles of the Realme.
1472 in T. Rymer Fœdera (1710) XI. 735 ‘Quod..lanas quascumque berdare, claccare, et mundare possint’.]
1485 Act 1 Hen. VII c. 10. §7 That the same Wolle shuld be as it was shorne and clene wounde, withoute any sortyng, barbyng or clakkyng.
1607 J. Cowell Interpreter sig. O3v/2 To clack wooll, is to cut of the sheepes marke, which maketh it to waigh lesse, and yeld the lesse custome to the king.
1641 in Termes de la Ley 60 b.
1704 Dict. Rusticum Clack, to Clack Wool, is to cut off the Sheep's Mark, which makes it weigh less: and yield less Custome to the King.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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n.c1440v.1adv.a1250
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