Clout Definition

Origin of Clout

• Old English clūt, from Proto-Germanic *klūtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *glūdos. Cognate with Old Norse klútr (“kerchief”) (Swedish klut, Danish klud), Middle High German klōz (“lump”) (German Kloß), dialect Russian глуда (gluda). See also cleat. The sense "influence, especially political" originated in the dialect of Chicago, but has become widespread.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English back of the hand, slap probably from clout cloth patch, metal plate, fragment clout¹

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Middle English back of the hand, slap probably from clout cloth patch, metal plate, fragment clout¹

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Middle English cloth patch, shred of clothing probably from Old English clūt

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition