Clout (noun)
kl-ao-wt
A heavy blow with the hand or a hard object: Influence or power, especially in politics or business.
(archaic) A piece of cloth or article of clothing which is the clout mentioned in the proverb; “ne’er cast a clout till May be out” with May more likely to mean the blossom of the Hawthorn than the month.
Example sentences
“That said, he delivered a swift clout round about her ears.”
“His leadership has been accompanied by immense popularity that has endowed him with significant power and political clout.”
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