clout
UK[klaʊt]US[klaʊt]
n
Great influence or power, especially in politics or business.
n
A heavy blow with the hand or a hard object.
v
To hit someone or something hard, especially with the hand.
Etymology
The word 'clout' originates from Old English 'clūt', meaning a piece of cloth or a patch. This sense evolved, likely through the concept of a cloth used as a protective pad or a swaddling cloth for an infant's head, to denote a heavy blow by the late 14th century. The metaphorical extension from a physical impact to figurative influence or political power is a 20th-century development, drawing on the idea of having the 'weight' or force to make things happen. Thus, the term's journey reflects a semantic shift from a concrete object, to an action, and finally to an abstract form of social force.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a single, indivisible morpheme in modern English.
Examples
The company wields considerable clout in the industry.
He gave the ball a mighty clout with the bat.
The newspaper was accused of trying to clout its political rivals.