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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1882

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CLAFF, n.2 A clasp (of the hand). Not known to our correspondents.Ags. 1882 Arbroath Guide (14 Jan.) 4/4:
The tread o's feet and claff o's neive, — A toil-worn, grimy loof, — Belang to ane ne'er kent to creenge.

[Prob. from root of arch. Eng. cleave, to adhere, stick fast. O.Sc. has cleve, id., pa.t. clafe, a.1400, prob. with long vowel, which may have been shortened on analogy with verbs like brek, brak (see note to Claff,n.1 and v.).]

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"Claff n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/claff_n2>

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