▪ I. † closh, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 5 cloishe, 5–6 closshe, cloysh(e, 6 clashe, classhe, claish(e, claisshe, clayshe, 6–7 closhe, 6– closh.
[a. Flem. and Du. klos bowl (for playing). Kilian has klos, globus, sphæra, klos-bane sphæristerium, klos-beytel flagellum, vola, klos-poorte annulus sphæristerii, klossen ludere sphæra, ludere globo per annulum; Plantin (1573) has klos une boule, klos-bane parc à bouler, klos-poorte une porte à bouler, anneau de fer à passer la boule, klossen bouler, jouer à la boule par travers un anneau de fer. These terms still occur in Du. Dictionaries, though the game appears to be obs. in Holland.]
An obsolete game with a ball or bowl, prohibited in many successive statutes in the 15th–16th c. It was obsolete before the time of Cowell (1554–1611), who supposed it to be equivalent to ninepins or skittles. From the 16th c. Dutch lexicographers and Dutch descriptions, it appears that the bowl used in the game had to be driven by a spade- or chisel-shaped implement, the klos-beytel, through a hoop or ring, as in croquet.
| 1477 Act 17 Edw. IV, c. 3 Diversez novelx ymaginez Jeuez appellez Cloishe Kaylez half kewle Hondyn & Hondoute & Quekeborde. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 2. §5 Noon apprentice..[shall] pley..at the Tenys Closshe Dise Cardes Bowles. 1514 Fitzherb. Just. Peas (1538) 80 b, Tenes, Clashe, Dise, Cardes, Boules, or any other unlawful games. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xxvii, In classhe is emploied to litle strength; in boulyng often times to moche. 1541 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 9. §8 Any common house, alley or place of bowlinge, Coytinge, Cloyshe, Coyles, halfe bowle, Tennys, Dysing, Table, or Cardinge. 1548 Bp. Hooper 10 Commandm. xi. Wks. (Parker Soc.) 393 Here is forbidden also all games for money, as dice, cards, cloyshe, and other. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. vii. (1588) 203 Every Iustice of the Peace may..enter into any common house or place where any playing at the Bowles, Coites, Closh, Cailes..or at any other game prohibited..schal be suspected to be used. 1607 Cowell Interpr., Closhe is an unlawfull game forbidden by the statute which is casting of a bowle at nine pinnes of wood. 1641 Termes de la Ley 62 But there [it] is no more properly cald Clash..it is now ordinarily call'd Kailes or Kiles. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iii. vii. 239. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 45 The younger amused themselves with claish or kegelspiel. |
Hence † closh-bane [MDu. klos-bane, mod.Du. klos-baan bowling-green, f. baan way, road, alley, etc.], a green or ground for playing closh.
| 1500 Cartulary Hosp. St. Thomas, Southwark (Stow MS. 640, Brit. Mus. lf. 336 b), A lease..of the tenement some⁓tyme called the ffawcon, after a tenysplay & cloishbane, with all maner edifices, gardeyns, & grounds. |
▪ II. closh, n.2
Also clowse, clush.
(See quot.)
| 1572 L. Mascall Govt. Cattle, Oxen (1627) 27 The Clowse is a kind of griefe which doth commonly happen on the necke of labouring cattle. 1614 Markham Cheap Husb. (1623) 92 Now for the Closhe or Clowse, which causeth a beast to pill and loose the haire from his necke, and is bred by drawing in wet and rainie weather. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Clush, Clush and swollen Neck, a Distemper in Cattle. |
¶ The following seems to be an error:
| 1726 Dict. Rust. (ed. 3), Closh or Founder, a Distemper in the Feet of Cattle. So 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Closh. |
▪ III. closh, n.3
[Origin unknown.]
An upright piece of wood fixed in the deck of a whaling vessel, on which the blubber of the whale is spiked to be cut up.
| 1820 Scoresby Acc. Arctic Reg. II. 308 Each of these officers, provided with a blubber-knife or a strand-knife, places himself by the side of a ‘closh’..fixed in the deck. 1836 Uncle Philip's Convers. Whale Fishery 98 The blubber is put on the spikes of the closh, and the harpooner slices off the skin. 1886 Good Words 83 The harpoons of various designs, the closh, and the broken krenging hook. |