Part 286

5. Good-natured; obliging. [U. S.]

Syn. -- See Smart.

Clev"er*ish (?), a. Somewhat clever. [R.]

Clev"er*ly, adv. In a clever manner.

Never was man so clever absurd. C. Smart.

Clev"er*ness, n. The quality of being clever; skill; dexterity; adroitness.

Syn. -- See Ingenuity.

Clev"is (?), n. [Cf. Cleave to adhere, Clavel.] A piece of metal bent in the form of an oxbow, with the two ends perforated to receive a pin, used on the end of the tongue of a plow, wagen, etc., to attach it to a draft chain, whiffletree, etc.; -- called also clavel, clevy.

{ Clew (klū), Clue, } n. [OE. clewe, clowe, clue, AS. cleowen, cliwen, clywe ball of thread; akin to D. kluwen, OHG. chliwa, chliuwa, G. dim. kleuel, knńuel, and perch. to L. gluma hull, husk, Skr. glaus sort of ball or tumor. Perch. akin to E. claw. √26. Cf. Knawel.] 1. A ball of thread, yarn, or cord; also, The thread itself.

Untwisting his deceitful clew. Spenser.

2. That which guides or directs one in anything of a doubtful or intricate nature; that which gives a hint in the solution of a mystery.

The clew, without which it was perilous to enter the vast and intricate maze of countinental politics, was in his hands. Macaulay.

3. (Naut.) (a.) A lower corner of a square sail, or the after corner of a fore-and- aft sail. (b.) A loop and thimbles at the corner of a sail. (c.) A combination of lines or nettles by which a hammock is suspended.

Clew garnet (Naut.), one of the ropes by which the clews of the courses of square-rigged vessels are drawn up to the lower yards. -- Clew line (Naut.), a rope by which a clew of one of the smaller square sails, as topsail, topgallant sail, or royal, is run up to its yard. -- Clew-line block (Naut.), The block through which a clew line reeves. See Illust. of Block.

Clew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. & vb. n. Clewing.] [Cf. D. kluwenen. See Clew, n.] 1. To direct; to guide, as by a thread. [Obs.]

Direct and clew me out the way to happiness. Beau. && Fl.

2. (Naut.) To move of draw (a sail or yard) by means of the clew garnets, clew lines, etc.; esp. to draw up the clews of a square sail to the yard.

To clew down (Naut.), to force (a yard) down by hauling on the clew lines. -- To clew up (Naut.), to draw (a sail) up to the yard, as for furling.

||Cli`chÚ" (?), n. [F. clichÚ, from clicher to stereotype.] A stereotype plate or any similar reproduction of ornament, or lettering, in relief.

ClichÚ casting, a mode of obtaining an impression from a die or woodcut, or the like, by striking it suddenly upon metal which has been fused and is just becoming solid; also, the casting so obtained.

Click (kl&ibreve;k), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Clicked (kl&ibreve;kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Clicking.] [Prob. an onomatopoetic word: cf. OF. cliquier. See Clack, and cf. Clink, Clique.] To make a slight, sharp noise (or a succession of such noises), as by gentle striking; to tick.

The varnished clock that clicked behind the door. Goldsmith.

Click, v. t. 1. To move with the sound of a click.

She clicked back the bolt which held the window sash. Thackeray.

2. To cause to make a clicking noise, as by striking together, or against something.

clicked all his marble thumbs. Ben Jonson.

When merry milkmaids click the latch. Tennyson.

Click, n. 1. A slight sharp noise, such as is made by the cocking of a pistol.