Influence or effectiveness, especially political. / (regional, informal) A blow with the hand. / (baseball, informal) A home run.

To hit, especially with the fist. / To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage, patch, or mend with a clout. / To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.

Dated form of clot.

plural of clout

simple past tense and past participle of clout

present participle of clout

The act of giving a clout, or striking somebody.

plural of clouting

(obsolete) A wrought-iron nail heaving a large flat head, and used for fastening clouts to axletrees, plowshares, etc., also for studding timber, and for various purposes.

(chiefly US, idiomatic, politics, ethics) A usually secret list containing the names of people who are to be given special access, benefits, or influence in a political or social situation, especially as a result of having personal, professional, or financial relationships with those in authority.