▪ I. clough
(klʌf, klaʊ)
Forms: 1 *clóh, 3–4 cloȝ, 4– clough, (5 cloghe, clow, 5–7 clowgh). pl. 1 *clóᵹas, 4 cloȝes, cloughes, clous, 5–6 clowes, cloes. Mod. dial. cluff, cloof, clufe, clow, cloo; also Sc. cleuch q.v.
[Represents an OE. *clóh, clóᵹes, prob. = OHG. klâh (Sievers).
The Lancashire pronunciation cloof (cf. enoof = enough) has given rise to an erroneous notion that this word is related to Icel. klofi or Du. kloof ‘cleft, rift’, with which it cannot possibly have connexion. The phonetic history and dialect forms clearly show that it is parallel to bough, enough, plough, tough, etc., from OE. -óh. That clóh existed in OE. is also shown by the numerous ancient proper names in Clough-, -clough, -cleuch. The parallel OHG. klâh in Klâhuelde (Foerstemann II. 371) confirms the view of the Rev. A. L. Mayhew (Academy, 31 Aug., 7 & 21 Sept. 1889) that OE. *clóh represented an OTeut. *klâh- from klanχo-, and thus stood in ablaut-relation to Ger. klinge, OHG. chlingo, a clough (pre-Teut. root *glenk-); cf. hang.]
1. A ravine or valley with steep sides, usually forming the bed of a stream or torrent.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 17590 (Cott.) Þir caitif Iuus sent into clinttes and into clous to seke iesu. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 1761 In to a grisly clouȝ Þai and þat maiden ȝode. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xii, Of poundes, of ploes..of cliffes, of cloes [other rimes broes, groes = brows, grows]. c 1440 York Myst. xv. 52 And kepis þis catell in þis cloghe. 1515 Scot. Field 592 in Chetham Misc. II, And Killed them like catiffes, in clowes all aboute. 1574 Robinson Reward Wickedness, In hill, dale, and clough..in smooth or in rough. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. ix. 285 A clough or clowgh, is a kinde of breach or valley downe a slope from the side of a hill, where commonly shragges, and trees doe grow. 1674 Ray N.C. Words 10 Clough, a Valley between two steep hills. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 228 The day-sky glimmered on the dew..And lurked in heath and braken clough [= cleugh]. 1834 H. Ainsworth Rookwood (1864) 23 Like a will-o'-the-wisp, or a boggart of the clough. 1855 Waugh Lanc. Life (1857) 19 Descending into some quiet little clough. 1870 Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. (1879) II. 310 There is a deep clough or dell. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Cleugh, or clufe, a rocky glen. Clufe-sled, the slope or slide of the chasm. |
† 2. Occasionally it seems to have been = ‘cliff’.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 941 The kyng coveris þe cragge wyth cloughes fulle hye. a 1400–50 Alexander 4863 Hoge hillis þam beforn, Cloȝes at was cloude, he clynterand torres. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 542 He herd the dragon, ther he lay Vndyr-nethe a clow [rimes he drowe, swowe, i-nowe.]. |
▪ II. clough
erroneous spelling of cloff, clow.