▪ I. † clumse, a. (n.) Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 7 clums, clumps(e, 8 dial. clomps, 9 dial. clumps.
[Related to clumse v., although the actual nature of the relation is not clear. Kindred words appear in mod.Scandinavian: cf. Icel. klumsa, klumsi, lock-jawed, speechless, Sw. dial. klumsen adj. benumbed with cold, clemmed with hunger, dazed, klumsi(g), in S. Sweden, benumbed with cold, clumsy, klumshändt, numbed in the hands; also klums n., a numbskull.
The localization of the word in England agrees with a Norse origin.]
Benumbed with cold; hence, stupid, dull, stolid of mind; inept of hands, unhandy, unready, idle, lazy; in mod. dial., also, gruff, surly (cf. an ‘awkward’ customer).
| 1611 Cotgr., Entombi, stonied, benummed, clumpse, asleepe. 1647 H. More Cupid's Conflict lxi, How clums and cold The vulgar wight would be to yield what's right. 1671 Skinner, Clumps, ignavus, ineptus: vox agro Linc. usitatissima. 1674 Ray N.C. Words s.v. Clumps, idle, lazy, unhandy, ineptus, a word of common use in Lincolnshire. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. II. 86 He didn't tell me, and he's a clumps man, I should ha' been scarred to ax him. 1886 S.W. Lincolnsh. Words, Clumps, idle, lazy. |
As n.
| 1730–6 Bailey (folio) Clumps, a numpskull, one void of common sense. |
▪ II. † clumse, v. Obs.
In 4 clomse, 5 cloumse.
[ME. clumsen found in 13th c., perh. represents an OE. *clumsian, on the type of rótsian to be cheerful, hlǽnsian to make lean, etc. But it may be of Norse origin: cf. mod.Norw. klumsa, intensive of kluma, to make motionless, speechless, lame, etc. Simpler forms of the same root appear in EFris. klömen to be numb with cold, WFris. klomjen, LG. klömen, klomen, klaomen, Du. kleumen, Sw. klömen; also, in comp., MG. verklummen, MDu. verkleumen, verkloemen. The stem klum- is in ablaut relation to klam- in clam and clem, the radical notion being that of ‘confinement, constraint, constriction’, which, in this group, is esp. referred to the stiffening action of cold.]
1. intr. To be or become stiff or numb with cold.
| c 1360 Song Mercy 176 in E.E.P. (1862) 123 For Merlions feet ben colde Hit is heore kuynde..A quik brid to haue and holde From foot to foot to flytte and folde To kepe hire from clomesyng. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 50 Whan þow clomsest for colde or clyngest for drye. |
2. trans. To stupefy, amaze, daze (in mind).
| c 1440 York Myst. xxiii. 201 Þat clowde cloumsed vs clene, þat come schynand so clere. |