clum

See also: Clum and -clum

Middle English

Alternative forms

• clom, clumme

Etymology

Perhaps for *clomen (“stiff, numb”), past participle of *cleomen (“to be stiff”); compare Middle English acleomen (“to be stiff”), related to Middle English clumsen, clomsen (“to be stiff, be numb”), Dutch kleumen (“to be stiff from cold”); or perhaps representing Old English clom, clam, clamm (“band, bond, fetter, chain, grip, grasp”). Compare also Old English clumian (“to mutter”). More at clam.

Interjection

clum

1. quiet; silence; hush
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Miller's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 3638-3639:

     ‘Now, Pater-noster, clom!’ seyde Nicholay,
     And ‘clom,’ quod John, and ‘clom,’ seyde Alisoun.

     "Now, Pater-noster, quiet!" said Nicholay,
     And "quiet," said John, and "quiet," said Alisoun.