▪ I. clead, cleed, v. north. dial.
Forms: 4 cleþ(e, kleþe, clede, (clete), 4–6 cleth(e, 6 cleith(e, (cleitht), cleath, 6–9 cleid, 8– cleed, clead. Pa. tense and pple., 4– cled, (cledde, cledd, clethd): cf. clad.
[ME. (north.) cleþe, pa. tense cledde, pa. pple. cled, a. ON. klæða, pa. tense klædda, pa. pple. klædd-r (Sw. kläda, Da. klæde) to clothe; f. klæði n.: see cloth. (Not the exact correspondent to OE. cláðian:—type *klaiþojan.) The pa. tense, klædda was from *klæðda; in later times the present stem has, by levelling, and assimilation to the type of feed, breed, etc., become cleed, clead. The normal Sc. spelling is cleid, but in the vbl. n. has passed into general use in the form cleading.]
= clothe v.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 23072 (Cott.) Þe nede for to cleth [Fairf. cleþ, Gött. clath, Trin. cloþe] and fede. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 87 Wit hayr ful hard his bodi he cledde. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 356 The byschop..cled him rycht honorabilly. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 132 And pore men love to clethe and fede. c 1440 York Myst. xlviii. 287 Whanne I was clothles ȝe me cledde. c 1450 Guy Warw. (C.) 397 When þey were þus ycledde. 1483 Cath. Angl. 67 To Clethe in manhode, humanare. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. iv. G viij b, For that he was so excellently cled with glorye and innocencye. 1549 Compl. Scot. vii. (1873) 70 Beand clethd in ane sydegoune. a 1605 Montgomerie Lyk as Aglauros 75 Cleith thy self with cair. a 1651 Calderwood Hist. Kirk (1843) II. 102 That purenesse and perfection wherewith we are cled in baptisme. 1724 Ramsey Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 85 I'd clead me braw and ladylike. a 1774 Fergusson Cauler Water Poet. Wks. (1845) 22 Leaves to cleed the birken bowers. 1795 Macneill Will & Jean v, Night advancing, Cleads wi' grey the neighbouring hill. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxvi, ‘He kens weel eneugh wha feeds him, and cleeds him.’ c 1850 Janet Hamilton Rhymes for Times ii. 55 Cleed their limbs wi' decent claes. |
▪ II. clead, n. Sc.
[f. clead v.]
Clothing, attire.
| 1804 W. Tarras Poems 4 (Jam.) In its brawest clead. Ibid. 7 As lang's in simmer wadders cast their clead. |
Hence ˈcleadful a., ‘handsome in regard to dress’ (Jamieson.).
| 1804 W. Tarras Poems 48 (Jam.) Compar'd to you, what's peevish brag Or beaus wi' cleadfu' triggin? |