clobber English · revision 2075

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/ ''(UK)''; /ˈklɑb.ɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It may be imitative.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) An older slang ''clobber'' about clothing and patching (19th century) seems to be a separate word,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) perhaps from a cobblers' paste of the same name.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To bomb or hit hard, in British air force slang (1941; 1944 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the Second World War it meant to bomb heavily or shoot down,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and was soon used of any heavy beating or overwhelming defeat,^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and of harsh criticism.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) In computing it means to overwrite data, often by accident.^(Wiktionary) The earlier word ''clobber'' was British slang for clothes (1879)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and also meant to patch old clothes and shoes (1851).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1851 – to patch up, cobble (separate word).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1879 – noun, clothes (separate word).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1941 – to bomb, in British air force slang.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1944 – to hit, beat up, defeat, criticize.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To strike hard and repeatedly; to batter.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To defeat decisively.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # To criticize harshly.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # To affect badly, as a recession does a business.^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(computing)'' To overwrite data, often unintentionally.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(British slang)'' Clothes or gear.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}