v. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 clycc(e)an, 4–5 clycchen, 5 clicche(n, 6– clitch. Pa. t. (1 clyhte), 4 clihte, 5 clyghte, 6 clitched. Pa. pple. 1 ʓeclyht, -cliht, 4–5 cliht, ycliȝt, (?) cleȝt, 5 icliȝt, clyght, (-ed), 6 clight(e. [OE. clycc(e)an corresponds to an OTeut. type *klukjan. For ulterior etymology, see CLUTCH.]
† 1. trans. To crook or bend; to incurve (the fingers), close (the hand), clench (the fist). Obs.
c. 1025. Liber Scintillarum, 99. Na sy astreht hand þin to nimene, heo sy to syllene gecliht.
c. 1050. Indicia Monast., in Techmer’s Zeitschr., II. 128. Clyce þine fingras, swilce þu blæchorn niman wille.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxviii. (1495), 137. The honde hyghte Palma whan the fyngres ben streyghte out and fyste whan they ben clyghte in [Bodl. MS. icliȝte]. Ibid., VII. lvi. 270. Ciragra … in the hondes … maketh theym drye and clyghted [Bodl. MS. ycliȝt] and closyd and vnmyghty to be openyd.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 119 b. The fiste … because the fingers be clighte in.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1584), 145. He … clitched his fist, turned his head, gnashed wt his teeth.
† 2. intr. To crook, bend a joint, crouch. Obs.
a. 1300[?]. O. E. Legends (Horstm. 1875), 192 (Mätz.). Upe here ton heo seten icluȝt.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 120. The fyngres þat freo beo to folden and to clycchen.
† 3. trans. To seize and pull in as with a claw or crook, to CLEEK. Obs.
a. 1400. Mary & Cross, 427, in Leg. Rood, 145. Mony folk into helle he clihte.
b. To take up (water, etc.) with a shallow vessel. Cf. CLEACH.
1632. Holland, Cyrupædia, 4. He hath an earthen pot wherewith to clitch up water out of the … river.
4. To hold tightly in a clutch or grasp.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1655. Þat watz cleȝt clos in his hert.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl. (1843–7), 115. A yonge childe in her armes clighte. Ibid. (1847), II. 186. In covetousnes my harte was clighte.
1888. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., Clitch, to clutch, to grasp tightly.
5. To make fast, to fasten; in mod. dial. to stick (things) to or together.
a. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 858. A clyket hit [i.e., þe wyket] cleȝt clos hym byhynde.
a. 1400. Mary & Cross, 410, in Leg. Rood, 145. Cros, whon Crist on þe was cliht.
1863. From a correspondent, Used in the Western Counties … as “clitch these papers,” i.e. gum them together. A native of N. Devon ‘has heard an old woman, admiring a lady’s riding, say “There! her looks as if her was clitched to her saddle!”’
6. intr. ‘To stick, to adhere; to become glutinous or thick. Devon’ (Halliw.).
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1692. Hit clyȝt togeder.
