clitch, v. Obs. exc. dial.
(klɪtʃ)
Forms: 1 clycc(e)an, 4–5 clycchen, 5 clicche(n, 6– clitch. pa. tense (1 clyhte), 4 clihte, 5 clyghte, 6 clitched. pa. pple. 1 ᵹeclyht, -cliht, 4–5 cliht, ycliȝt, (?) cleȝt, 5 icliȝt, clyght, (-ed), 6 clight(e.
[OE. clycc(e)an corresponds to an OTeut. type *klukjan. For ulterior etymology, see clutch.]
† 1. trans. To crook or bend; to incurve (the fingers), close (the hand), clench (the fist). Obs.
| c 1025 Liber Scintillarum 99 Na sy astreht hand þin to nimene, heo sy to syllene gecliht. c 1050 Indicia Monast. in Techmer's Zeitschr. II. 128 Clyce þine fingras, swilce þu blæchorn niman wille. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxviii. (1495) 137 The honde hyghte Palma whan the fyngres ben streyghte out and fyste whan they ben clyghte in [Bod. MS. icliȝte]. Ibid. vii. lvi. 270 Ciragra..in the hondes..maketh theym drye and clyghted [Bodl. MS. ycliȝt] and closyd and vnmyghty to be openyd. 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 119 b, The fiste..because the fingers be clighte in. 1574 Hellowes Gueuara's Fam. Ep. (1584) 145 He..clitched his fist, turned his head, gnashed w{supt} his teeth. |
† 2. intr. To crook, bend a joint, crouch. Obs.
| ? a 1300 O.E. Legends (Horstm. 1875) 192 (Mätz.) Upe here ton heo seten icluȝt. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 120 The fyngres þat freo beo to folden and to clycchen. |
† 3. trans. To seize and pull in as with a claw or crook, to cleek. Obs.
| a 1400 Mary & Cross 427 in Leg. Rood 145 Mony folk into helle he clihte. |
b. To take up (water, etc.) with a shallow vessel. Cf. cleach.
| 1632 Holland Cyrupædia 4 He hath an earthen pot wherewith to clitch up water out of the..river. |
4. To hold tightly in a clutch or grasp.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1655 Þat watz cleȝt clos in his hert. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. (1843–7) 115 A yonge childe in her armes clighte. Ibid. (1847) ii. 186 In covetousnes my harte was clighte. 1888 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk., Clitch, to clutch, to grasp tightly. |
5. To make fast, to fasten; in mod. dial. to stick (things) to or together.
| a 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 858 A clyket hit [i.e. þe wyket] cleȝt clos hym byhynde. a 1400 Mary & Cross 410 in Leg. Rood 145 Cros, whon Crist on þe was cliht. 1863 From a correspondent, Used in the Western Counties..as {oqq}clitch these papers{cqq}, i.e. gum them together. A native of N. Devon ‘has heard an old woman, admiring a lady's riding, say {oqq}There! her looks as if her was clitched to her saddle!{cqq}’ |
6. intr. ‘To stick, to adhere; to become glutinous or thick. Devon’ (Halliw.).
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1692 Hit clyȝt togeder. |