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View synonyms for

clay

1

[ kley ]

noun

  1. a natural earthy material that is plastic when wet, consisting essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum: used for making bricks, pottery, etc.
  2. earth; mud.
  3. earth, especially regarded as the material from which the human body was formed.
  4. the human body, especially as distinguished from the spirit or soul; the flesh.
  5. human character as estimated according to fineness of constitution, endowments, etc.:

    The saints and heroes seem of a different clay from most of us.



verb (used with object)

  1. to treat or mix with clay; cover, daub, or fill with clay.
  2. to filter through clay.

Clay

2

[ kley ]

noun

  1. Bertha M. Charlotte Monica Braeme, 1836–84, English author: originator of a long series of romantic novels.
  2. Cassius Marcellus, 1810–1903, U.S. antislavery leader and diplomat.
  3. Cassius Marcellus, Jr., original name of Muhammad Ali.
  4. Henry, 1777–1852, U.S. statesman and orator.
  5. Lucius (Du·Bi·gnon) [doo-bin-, yon], 1897–1978, U.S. general.
  6. a male given name.

Clay

1

/ ɪ /

noun

  1. ClayCassius Cassius See Muhammad Ali
  2. ClayHenry17771852MUSPOLITICS: statesmanPOLITICS: orator Henry. 1777–1852, US statesman and orator; secretary of state (1825–29)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

clay

2

/ ɪ /

noun

  1. a very fine-grained material that consists of hydrated aluminium silicate, quartz, and organic fragments and occurs as sedimentary rocks, soils, and other deposits. It becomes plastic when moist but hardens on heating and is used in the manufacture of bricks, cement, ceramics, etc figuline
  2. earth or mud in general
  3. poetic.
    the material of the human body
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to cover or mix with clay
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

clay

  1. A stiff, sticky sedimentary material that is soft and pliable when wet and consists mainly of various silicates of aluminum. Clay particles are smaller than silt, having a diameter less than 0.0039 mm. Clay is widely used to make bricks, pottery, and tiles.
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Derived Forms

  • ˈ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • · adjective
  • ܲ· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of clay1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English clei, cleigh, Old English ǣ, cognate with Dutch klei, German Klei, akin to glue
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Word History and Origins

Origin of clay1

Old English ǣ; related to Old High German ī, Norwegian kli, Latin ū glue, Greek gloios sticky oil
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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with clay , also see feet of clay .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It also marked a first win on the outdoor clay in almost three years.

From

Swiatek, who is the reigning Madrid champion and has a host of ranking points to defend over the European clay swing, looked in serious trouble.

From

After scraping you’ll likely be left with subsoil, layers of clay or sand, that lack the life-giving nutrients plants require.

From

With layers of clay and bedrock of chalk, the subsurface is too soft to drill a bore tunnel, said Per Goltermann, a professor in concrete and structures at the Technical University of Denmark.

From

"With the transition to a different surface on clay, I feel I'm not at the point that I can switch surfaces in back-to-back weeks."

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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