clout nail
- noun
- /klaʊt neɪl/
- UK
:
clavo de cabeza ancha
- Always choose a clout nail when attaching thin sheet metal to prevent tearing.
Examples
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The roofer used a clout nail to fasten the lead flashing securely to the timber.
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A box of clout nails was left in the shed after the repairs were done.
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He used a clout nail to secure the metal sheet.
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The carpenter bought some clout nails for the project.
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The roofer used a clout nail to fasten the lead flashing securely to the timber.
-
Always choose a clout nail when attaching thin sheet metal to prevent tearing.
-
A box of clout nails was left in the shed after the repairs were done.
Synonyms
184
1.0
A thin pointed piece of metal with a flat head used to hold things together
17
2.2
A small nail with a flat head used to fasten things
8
9.9
A large heavy nail used to hold and decorate old wooden doors
A short nail with a broad flat head for fixing sheet metal
A small nail used to hold leather or thin wood
A short thick metal spike used to hold things when length is not needed
A small metal nail used to hold light things like paper on a board
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'clout' (a short, wide-headed nail) modifies 'nail', so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes that specific type of nail. This is a straightforward noun-noun compound following common cross-linguistic naming patterns for object types, making the expression transparent.
Etymology
Clout nail comes from an old word clout meaning a patch or flat piece of cloth, because the nail's wide, flat head works like a small patch to hold thin metal without tearing. That's why clout nail means 'a short nail with a large, flat head' used to attach thin sheet metal to wood.