▪ I. clart, n. Sc. and north. dial.
(klɑːt)
Also clairt, clort.
[See next.]
Sticky or claggy dirt, mud, filth; (with pl.), a daub of sticky dirt.
| 1808 Jamieson, Clairt, Clart, a quantity of any dirty or defiling substance. Clarts, dirt, mire, anything that defiles. 1847–78 Halliwell [Locality not assigned], A flake of snow, when it is large and sticks to the clothes, is called a clart. 1863 Tyneside Songs 85 Weel supplied wi' Newcastle amonishen—clarts. 1876 Whitby Gloss. (E.D.S.), Clart, a smear of dirt. 1877 E. Peacock N.W. Linc. Gloss., Clart, sticky dirt. 1877 Holderness Gloss., Clart, stickiness. |
b. A dirty person (Sc.); a ‘cheap and nasty’ thing; hypocritical talk or flattery (north. Eng.).
| 1808 Jamieson, Clairt, a woman who is habitually and extremely dirty. 1876 Mid-Yorksh. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Clart, a worthless article or person. 1877 E. Peacock N.W. Linc. Gloss., Clart, silly or exaggerated talk, flattery. |
▪ II. clart, v. trans.
(klɑːt)
Now Sc. and north. dial.
[Of this and the related words, clart n., clarty, the origin is unknown: it must have been long in spoken use, for the compound vb. beclart occurs in 13th c.]
1. trans. To smear or daub with dirt, bedirty.
| [c 1230 Wohunge in Cott. Hom. 279 Þat spatel þat swa biclarted ti leor.] 1808 Mrs. E. Hamilton Cott. Glenburnie 181 (Jam.) If it's but a wee clarted, there's no sae mickle ill done. 1830 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Clart, to dawb with syrup, juice of fruit, or the like. 1876 Mid-Yorksh. Gloss., Clart, to smear. |
† 2. fig. To cause to stick, to plaster on or upon.
| 1681 Glanvill Sadducismus 177 No other Contradictions or Repugnancies on this our Notion..than what the minds of our Adversaries, polluted with the impure dregs of Imagination..do foully and slovenly clart upon it. 1682 H. More Annot. Glanvill's Lux O. 226 Mr. Baxter fancies God may clart on Life the specifick Form of Spirit. 1683 ― Annot. Bp. Rust's Disc. Truth 237 Three essences clarted upon some fourth essence, or glewed together one to another. |