Skip to main content
to clow

to clow

9.9
To hit someone or something hard
  • verb
  • Archaic
: golpear
  • The boy was warned not to clow his brother during their argument.

Examples

  • He threatened to clow the ball out of the park with one swing.

  • He clowed the door shut.

  • If anyone steals from her, she will not hesitate to clow them.

  • Did you see him clow that tree branch?

  • If anyone steals from her, she will not hesitate to clow them.

  • The boy was warned not to clow his brother during their argument.

  • Did you see him clow that tree branch?

Synonyms

to whack
vsto clow
193 5.5

To hit someone or something hard so it makes a loud sound

is used for hitting without implying exceptionally strong noisy force
to whap
vsto clow
3 8.1

To hit something or someone hard and make a loud sound

is used for hitting but not limited to hard or very loud strikes
to whang
vsto clow
  • Informal
1 9.9

To hit something hard so it makes a loud sound

is used for hitting without implying strong attack or loud noise
to whuff
vsto clow
1 9.9

To hit something so it makes a dull heavy sound

is used for hitting in general, not focused on dull heavy sounds
to give a whap
vsto clow
  • Informal
8.8

To hit something quickly with a short, sharp blow

is used for hitting without stressing quickness or sharp noisy impact

How Hard

to smash
278 2.1
to clow
  • Archaic
9.9
to thump
47 3.4
to clout
  • Informal
1 7.4
to hit
∞ 1.0
to knock
999 1.0
to tap
98 1.0

Surface Forms

clow infinitive
clowed past
clowed past participle
clowing present participle
clows third person singular

Etymology

Clow as a verb means 'to hit' and comes from the same idea as the noun 'a clow' (a blow) and words like clout, so to clow someone is simply to strike them hard.