clouded, ppl. a.
(ˈklaʊdɪd)
[f. cloud v. + -ed.]
1. Covered, surrounded, or obscured, by clouds; situated in the clouds.
| 1599 Bp. Hall Sat., Defiance to Envie 64 And vainly faint in hopelesse following The clouded paths her native drosse denies. a 1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 41 A clouded setting. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 607 The Moon Rising in clouded Majestie. 1813 Scott Rokeby v. xxxvii, The clouded heaven lowered bloody red. |
2. a. Having cloud-like markings. clouded yellow butterfly: a butterfly of the genus Colias, esp. C. Edusa. clouded leopard, clouded tiger, a large, mainly arboreal, species of the cat family, Neofelis nebulosa, of southern Asia (see tiger n. 1 b).
| 1682 Lond. Gaz. No. 1685/4 A mix'd Stuff Suit, and clouded Stockings. 1712–4 Pope Rape Lock iv. 124 The nice conduct of a clouded cane. 1725 ― Odyss. v. 302 The handle..Wrought of the clouded olive's easy grain. 1796 Hull Advertiser 5 Mar. 2/2 A lot of Clouded Silks. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. ii. Wks. 1834 II. 187 And thus with clouded cane, a fop complete He stalked. 1827 Butterfly Collectors Vade mec. 90–1 Colias Helice, White Clouded Yellow. Colias Hyale, Pale Clouded Yellow. 1879, 1896 [see tiger n. 1 b]. 1910 Encycl. Brit. VI. 559/2 Little is known of the habits of the clouded leopard, but it preys on small mammals and birds, and rarely comes to the ground. |
b. Of transparent bodies: Having patches of dimness or obscurity, dimmed (cf. n. 6 a).
| 1693 Redding in Phil. Trans. XVII. 659/2, I have sent you..a few of the Pearls, though clouded and little worth. 1799 G. Smith Labor. I. 382 Stir it well..to prevent its being clouded. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. iii. xii. (1888) 374 Through clouded spectacles. |
3. fig. a. Of the mind: Darkened or obscured (by ignorance, etc.). Of ideas or perception: Obscure, dim, indistinct; mystical.
| a 1628 J. Preston Serm. bef. his Maj. (1630) 2 No ground in scripture for their clouded..opinions. 1783 Mason Du Fresnoy's Art Painting lviii. (R.), No beauty beaming on his clouded mind. 1819 Wordsw. Waggoner iii. 12 Benjamin, with clouded brains. |
b. Involved in obscurity.
| 1641 Milton Ch. Discip. i. (1851) 29 There be..some places in those Books that remain clouded. 1762 J. Brown Poetry & Mus. (1763) 92 This..hath opened to us an involved and clouded Subject. |
4. fig. Darkened with any passion or trouble; gloomy.
| 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iii. 176 Clouded courage once again shone clear. 1725 Pope Odyss. xvi. 361 With clouded looks, a pale assembly sate. 1866 Mrs. Stowe Lit. Foxes 119 She sits with a clouded brow. |