clum

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See also: Clum and -clum

Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Perhaps for *clomen (stiff, numb), past participle of *cleomen (to be stiff); compare Middle English acleomen (to be stiff), related to Middle English clumsen, clomsen (to be stiff, be numb), Dutch kleumen (to be stiff from cold); or perhaps representing Old English clom, clam, clamm (band, bond, fetter, chain, grip, grasp). Compare also Old English clumian (to mutter). More at clam.

Interjection

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clum

  1. quiet; silence; hush
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Miller's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3638-3639:
      ‘Now, Pater-noster, clom!’ seyde Nicholay,
      And ‘clom,’ quod John, and ‘clom,’ seyde Alisoun.
      "Now, Pater-noster, quiet!" said Nicholay,
      And "quiet," said John, and "quiet," said Alisoun.