Forms: 1 clyppan, (clioppen, cliopen), 2 -en, 3–4 cluppe(n, 4 clep(pe, 4–6 clyppe, clyp, clepe, 4–7 clipp(e, (5 clype, klyppe), 4– clip. [OE. clyppan weak vb.:—OTeut. type *kluppjan: cf. OFris. kleppa in same sense (‘cleppa and kessa’ Richthofen); North Fris. klêbin to kiss (Johansen); also ON. klýpa to ‘clip,’ pinch, and Ger. kluppe ‘barnacles, corn-tongs,’ OHG. chluppa tongs, clamp, split stick to Outside Teutonic, Hildebrand in Grimm, s.v. klafter, compares Lith. glôbti to embrace, and OSlav. glibnjati, glŭbĕti to be seized.]
1. trans. To clasp with the arms, embrace, hug. arch. and dial.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Mark ix. 36. Clioppende [Rushw. cliopende] wæs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxix. 13. Ða aras he toʓeanes and clypte hine.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 185. He openeþ swa þe moder hire earmes hire leoue child for to cluppen.
c. 1300. Beket, 288. Hi custen hem faste and clupte.
c. 1320. R. Brunne, Medit., 152. Hys fete … he cleppeþ, and swetly kysseþ.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 1169. He kisseth hire and clippeth hire ful ofte.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 343. A wulf was founde clippende the hedde of seynte Edmunde.
1460. Lybeaus Disc., 578. That oon held … A mayde yclepte yn hys arme.
c. 1500. Bk. Mayd Emlyn, in Poet. Tracts (1842), 27. Bycause he coude clepe her, She called hym a whypper.
1581. T. Howell, Deuises (1879), 229. Venus sonne, whom she doth clip and kisse.
1607. Shaks., Cor., I. vi. 29. Let me clip ye In Armes as sound, as when I woo’d in heart.
a. 1701. Sedley, Poems, Wks. 1722, I. 19. He like the Bear of Love, her Body Clips.
c. 1840. Hood, Ballads, ‘What can an old man do.’ Love will not clip him.
1877. N. W. Lincolnsh. Gloss., s.v., ‘I seed ’em clippin’ an cuddlin’ one another agëan th’ pin-fold.’
b. fig.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xli. 298. Ðes worldgilp … þe hie clyppað & lufiað.
1508. Fisher, Wks., 67. We … studyously … clyppe & in maner kysse it [sin].
1633. P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., V. ii. The warmer sunne … With firie arms clipping the wanton ground.
1819. B. Cornwall, Dram. Sc., Julian the Apost., ii. Shall the grave Clip us for ever in its chilling arms.
c. transf. Said of amplexicaul leaves.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, I. cv. § 3. 174. Large leaves … clipping or embracing the stalke round about.
d. with advb. or prep. complement.
c. 1320. R. Brunne, Medit., 932. She clypped hyt up on here brest.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. ix. (1495), 763. Serpentes wrappyth and clyppyth themself togyder.
c. 1530. Spirit. Couns., F vij. That fynally I maye clyppe the to me.
e. absol. and intr.
c. 1305. Land Cokayne, 173, in E. E. P. (1862), 161. Þilk monk þat clepiþ best … Of him is hope … To be sone uadir abbot.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 464. Cluppe we in couenaunt and ech of ous cusse oþer.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 63. That wife … which clepeth with her adulterer.
1587. Mirr. Mag., Sabrina, xxi. 3. I fast mine armes about her clipt did make.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 645. A swarm of Bees … a Bay-tree did attain, Where leg in leg they cleaped fast [pedibus per mutua nexis].
2. trans. To surround closely, encircle, encompass, ‘hug.’ Also with about, in.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter xlvii[i]. 12. Ymbsellað sion and clyppað hie.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., II. iv. (1495), 31. Aungels … ben soo clypped wyth the habyte of vertues.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, iii. 36. The dreadfull Sea which cleaps the same [the Earth] about.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., i. 2. As Amphitrite clips this Iland Fortunate.
1781. Cowper, Expost., 551. Yon fair sea, That clips thy shores.
1830. Tennyson, Poems, 125. A snake her forehead clips.
1842. Sir H. Taylor, Edwin the Fair, V. v. 224 (D.). The Northmen … clipped us round at Stoke.
3. To grip tightly, clutch, hold in a tight grasp.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 1569 (Gr.). Heafodswima heortan clypte.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 147. The mekill barge had nocht thaim clyppyt fast.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. xiii. 169. The happy goishalk, we se … The sylly dow … he clyppis at the last.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 319. When grace was done, The Bolle in hande she clipt.
1801. W. Felton, Carriages, I. 100. The standard-plates … clip … the transom.
1868. W. Collins, Moonst., I. 298. Some soft yellow stuff, that … clipped her tight (in the form of a jacket) round the waist.
absol. 1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 188. Powere hem filleth To clucche or to clawe, to clyppe or to holde.
1796. Coleridge, Destiny Nations. the air clipp’d keen, the night was fang’d with frost.
