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clumse. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
clumse, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
clumse in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
clumse you have here. The definition of the word
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English
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.
Pronunciation
Verb
clumse (third-person singular simple present clumses, present participle clumsing, simple past and past participle clumsed)
- (transitive) To numb; benumb; stiffen or paralyse with cold or fear
- (intransitive) To be numb or benumbed; be stiffened or paralysed with cold or fear
- (dialectal, Scotland) To die of thirst
Adjective
clumse (comparative more clumse, superlative most clumse)
- benumbed, as with cold
- idle; lazy; loutish
Noun
clumse (plural clumses)
- A stupid fellow; numbskull
Derived terms
Anagrams