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to clout

to clout

1 7.4
To hit someone or something hard with the fist
  • verb
  • /klaʊt/
  • Informal
: dar un puñetazo
  • Look, Pat, you saved my life... and I'm sorry I had to clout you.

Examples

  • "Erik looked as if he would clout his brother, but he didn't."

    Fiction book (1994)
  • ANGLE ON BELLA AS HE TAKES OUT HIS PISTOL AND CLOUTS THE DISTRACTED MOORE.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Moore takes a small baton from his belt and clouts the pilot and then the copilot with it. Blane moves up to him, takes a roll of gaff tape from his belt, and begins binding the two men to their seats, first gagging them with the tape.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • He threatened to clout the bully if he didn't leave him alone.

  • During the argument, she raised her fist to clout him, but she thought better of it.

  • The coach warned the players not to clout each other during practice.

Synonyms

to punch
vsto clout
570 1.4

To hit someone or something quickly with a closed fist

is a hard strike not focused on speed but on blunt force
to strike
vsto clout
508 2.4

To hit someone or something with force

is specifically a hard blow often associated with a closed fist rather than any contact
to smack
vsto clout
183 3.5

To hit someone or something with an open hand

uses a closed fist strike rather than an open-handed sharp blow
to bash
vsto clout
  • NSFW
97 2.9

To hit someone or something very hard

is a hard strike but may not stress potential heavy damage as much
to box
vsto clout
57 2.0

To fight another person using the fists, often as a sport

is a hard single strike rather than an arranged sporting fight with rules
to nail
vsto clout
56 4.3

To hit something with great force, often in sport

is a hard strike without the specific sports or activity context
to pummel
vsto clout
46 6.7

Hit something many times, usually with your fists

is a hard blow that is often single rather than a repeated assault
to bludgeon
vsto clout
  • NSFW
33 8.8

To hit someone repeatedly with a heavy stick or club

is a single hard fist strike rather than repeated heavy weapon blows
to clobber
vsto clout
  • NSFW
32 7.7

To hit someone or something very hard many times

is a hard strike that may be single not a repeated pounding
to smite
vsto clout
  • Archaic
26 9.8

Hit a person or thing with a heavy blow

focuses more narrowly on a fist strike rather than many possible weapons
to slug
vsto clout
  • Informal
25 4.6

To hit someone or something very hard, often with the fist

is a hard strike that may be strong but not described as extreme
to club
vsto clout
20 5.1

To hit someone or something hard with a heavy stick

is usually a hand strike rather than an attack using a heavy stick
to thrash
vsto clout
  • NSFW
13 6.5

Hit someone hard, often as punishment or in a fight

is a single hard strike not necessarily a repeated beating or punishment
to belt
vsto clout
  • Informal
12 6.0

To hit with a lot of force, often using the arm or an object

focuses specifically on using a fist rather than any object
to strike hard
vsto clout
10 3.7

Hit someone or something very hard

is a hard strike that emphasizes blunt force rather than sharpness
to wallop
vsto clout
  • Informal
6 7.3

To hit something or someone very hard

is a hard blow that may be less intensely described than very hard
to plug
vsto clout
  • NSFW
5 7.7

To hit someone or something with a quick strong blow

is a hard strike that is not necessarily quick focusing on force
to whomp
vsto clout
  • Informal
2 8.6

To hit forcefully with the hand or a flat object

typically uses a closed fist rather than an open hand or flat object
to swack
vsto clout
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To hit someone or something hard

focuses more on using a fist adding instrument detail rather than general force
to pommel
vsto clout
  • NSFW
1 9.3

To hit someone or something again and again with your fists

is a hard single strike instead of a repeated series of hits
to whang
vsto clout
  • Informal
1 9.9

To hit something hard so it makes a loud sound

is a hard blow that is described by force rather than by loudness
to slog
vsto clout
1 7.0

To hit someone or something very hard, for example with a fist

is a hard strike usually named for fist use rather than tools
to give a whap
vsto clout
  • Informal
8.8

To hit something quickly with a short, sharp blow

is a hard strike that may not emphasize the resulting sound

Antonyms

105 1.0

To touch gently to show comfort or approval

52 3.4

To touch someone or something gently to show love

Compounds

clout list
  • Jargon
1 7.6

A list of people who have a lot of influence

1 8.4

A short nail with a large flat head to fasten thin metal to wood

8.6

Social status you get from the kind of car you own

clout goblin
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who tries to get online attention by acting fake

How Hard

to knock out
  • NSFW
243 4.3
to smash
278 2.1
to clout
  • Informal
1 7.4
to strike
508 2.4
to hit
∞ 1.0
to tap
98 1.0

Surface Forms

clout infinitive
clouted past
clouted past participle
clouting present participle
clouts third person singular

Etymology

Clout as a verb means to strike someone hard and comes from the same idea as the noun 'clout' for a blow, so to clout someone is simply to give them a strong knock.