cley

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English cle, clea, from Old English clēa (“claw”) (where the oblique forms > English claw).

Noun

cley (plural cleys)

1. (obsolete) A claw.
   • 1662, Henry More, An Antidote Against Atheism, Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 74:

     "But that more heavy Birds are otherwise provided for defence, namely either by Spurs that grow on their Legs, or by the strength and sharpness of some single cley in their Foot; as I have observed in the Cassoware or Emeu"

Derived terms

• cleystaff

Etymology 2

From Middle English cley, from Old English clǣġ (“clay”).

Noun

cley (plural cleys)

1. Alternative spelling of clay

Anagrams

• Cely, cyle

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Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English clǣġ, from Proto-West Germanic *klaij.

Alternative forms

• clei, clay, clai, cleiȝ, cleye, claye

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klɛi̯/

Noun

cley (uncountable)

2. clay, plaster, or earth like clay.
3. Any earth or terrain; something of little value or import.

Related terms

• cleyed
• cleyen
• cleyere
• cleyye

Descendants

• English: clay, cley
• Scots: cley
• Yola: cley

References

• “clei, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-1.

Etymology 2

From Old French cloie.

Alternative forms

• clei, claye

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklɛi̯(ə)/

Noun

cley (plural cleys)

2. A frame composed of planks crossed together.

References

• “clei(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-1.

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Yola

Etymology

From Middle English cley, from Old English clǣġ, from Proto-West Germanic *klaij.

Noun

cley

1. clay
   • 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 8:

     Zim dellen harnothès w'aar nize ee reed cley;

     Some digging earth-nuts with their noses in red clay;

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 86