clamour

English

Alternative forms

• clamor (American spelling)

Etymology

From Latin clāmor (“a shout, cry”), from clāmō (“cry out, complain”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈklæm.ə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈklæm.ɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æmə(ɹ)

Noun

clamour (countable and uncountable, plural clamours)

1. British and Canada standard spelling of clamor.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     Sickly eares Deaft with the clamours of their owne deare grones.

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 17:

     For when he knew his Rival freed and gone, / He ſwells with Wrath; he makes outrageous Moan: / He frets, he fumes, he ſtares, he ſtamps the Ground; / The hollow Tow'r with Clamours rings around: […]

Verb

clamour (third-person singular simple present clamours, present participle clamouring, simple past and past participle clamoured)

1. British and Canada standard spelling of clamor.
   • 1738–1741, William Warburton, The Divine Legation of Moses […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II.1, or II.2), London: […] Fletcher Gyles, […], →OCLC:

     The second argument , against the integrity of the Law from this Omission , has been clamoured by a large Body of Answerers

2. (transitive, obsolete) To salute loudly.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 94, lines 621–622:

     At ſight of him the people with a ſhout / Rifted the Air clamouring thir god with praiſe,

3. (transitive, obsolete) To stun with noise.
   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Counsel”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

     Let them not come..in a Tribunitious Manner; For that is, to clamour Counsels, not to enforme them.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To repeat the strokes quickly on (bells) so as to produce a loud clang.

Derived terms

• clamourer
• clamoursome
• outclamour

Middle English

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman clamour, from an earlier clamur, from Latin clamor

Noun

clamour (plural clamours)

1. shout; cry; clamor
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wyfe of Bathes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:

     Ffor which oppression was swich clamour

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Synonyms

• crie, crye

Descendants

• English: clamor

References

• “clamǒur, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old French

Noun

clamour oblique singular, f (oblique plural clamours, nominative singular clamour, nominative plural clamours)

1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of clamur

   querele oie ne pleinte ne clamour