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Definition 2024

clumse

clumse

English

Alternative forms

Verb

clumse ‎(third-person singular simple present clumses, present participle clumsing, simple past and past participle clumsed)

  1. (transitive) To numb; benumb; stiffen or paralyse with cold or fear
  2. (intransitive) To be numb or benumbed; be stiffened or paralysed with cold or fear
  3. (dialectal, Scotland) To die of thirst

Adjective

clumse ‎(comparative more clumse, superlative most clumse)

  1. benumbed, as with cold
  2. idle; lazy; loutish

Noun

clumse ‎(plural clumses)

  1. A stupid fellow; numbskull

Derived terms

Etymology

From Middle English clumsen, clomsen, cloumsen, from Old Norse *klumsa (compare Old Norse klumsa ‎(“lock-jawed”)), whence also dialectal Norwegian klumsa ‎(“to make speechless or benumbed”), dialectal Swedish klumsen ‎(“numb with cold”). Compare related Low German verklamen, Dutch kleumen, verkleumen, German verklomen.

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