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Sway vs Clout - What's the difference?

sway | clout | Related terms |

Sway is a related term of clout.


As nouns the difference between sway and clout

is that sway is the act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon while clout is influence or effectiveness, especially political.

As verbs the difference between sway and clout

is that sway is to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock while clout is to hit, especially with the fist.

sway

English

(wikipedia sway)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
  • A rocking or swinging motion.
    • The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
  • Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
    • I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
  • Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
  • Rule; dominion; control.
  • A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
  • The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed .
  • To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade .
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
  • To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
  • :
  • *(John Tillotson) (1630-1694)
  • *:Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
  • (lb) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
  • :
  • To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:The balance sways on our part.
  • To have weight or influence.
  • *(Richard Hooker) (1554-1600)
  • *:The example of sundry churchesdoth sway much.
  • To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.

    • See also

    * persuade

    Anagrams

    * * English ergative verbs

    clout

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Influence or effectiveness, especially political.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 15 , author=Felicity Cloake , title=How to cook the perfect nut roast , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=The chopped mushrooms add depth to both the Waitrose and the Go-Go Vegan recipe, but what gives the latter some real clout on the flavour front is a teaspoon of Marmite. Vegetarian tweeter Jessica Edmonds tells me her boyfriend likes a similar recipe because "it tastes of Twiglets!". I'm with him – frankly, what's Christmas without a Twiglet? – but Annie Bell's goat's cheese has given me an idea for something even more festive. Stilton works brilliantly with parsnips, providing a savoury richness which feels a little more special than common or garden yeast extract. Blue cheese calls to mind the chestnuts used by Mary Berry of course, and now I'm on a roll, I pop in some sage and onion too, in a nod to the classic festive stuffing. }}
  • (regional, informal) A blow with the hand.
  • * 1910 , , Frau Brenchenmacher Attends A Wedding
    • 'Such a clout on the ear as you gave me… But I soon taught you.'
  • (informal) A home run.
  • * 2011 , , "Triple double", in The Boston Globe , August 17, 2011, p. C1.
    • '... allowed Boston to score all of its runs on homers, including a pair of clouts by Jacoby Ellsbury ...'
  • (archery) The center of the butt at which archers shoot; probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.
  • * Shakespeare
    • A' must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout .
  • (regional, dated) A swaddling cloth.
  • (archaic) A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.
  • * Spenser
    • His garments, nought but many ragged clouts , / With thorns together pinned and patched was.
  • * Shakespeare
    • a clout upon that head where late the diadem stood
  • *
  • (archaic) An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer.
  • * 1866 , , A History of Agriculture and Prices in England , Volume 1, p. 546.
    • Clouts were thin and flat pieces of iron, used it appears to strengthen the box of the wheel; perhaps also for nailing on such other parts of the cart as were particularly exposed to wear.
  • (obsolete) A piece; a fragment.
    • (Chaucer)

    Derived terms

    * breech-clout * clout list * clout-nail * ne'er cast a clout til May be out

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hit, especially with the fist.
  • To cover with cloth, leather, or other material; to bandage; patch, or mend, with a clout.
  • * Latimer
    • Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers.
  • To stud with nails, as a timber, or a boot sole.
  • To guard with an iron plate, as an axletree.
  • To join or patch clumsily.
  • * P. Fletcher
    • if fond Bavius vent his clouted song

    References