Chapter Clench to Cliquot of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Clerk A scholar. Hence, beau-clerc. (See above, Clerical Titles .)

“All the clerks,
I mean the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms,
Have their free voices.”
Shakespeare: Henry VIII., ii. 2.

   St. Nicholas's Clerks. Thieves. An equivoque on the word Nick.

“I think there came prancing down the hill a couple of St. Nicholas's clerks.”- Rowley: Match at Midnight, 1633.

Clerk-ale and Church-ale. Mr. Douce says the word “ale” is used in such composite words as bride-ale, clerk-ale, church-ale, lamb-ale, Midsummer-ale, Scot-ale, Whitsun-ale, etc., for revel or feast, ale being the chief liquor given.

“The multitude call Church-ale Sunday their revelyng day, which day is spent in bulbeatings, bearbeating, ... dicying, ... and drunkenness.”- W. Kethe (1570).

Clerkenwell (London) means the Clerks'-well, where the parish clerks of London used to assemble yearly to play some sacred piece.

Clerkly Cleverly; like a scholar.

“I thank you, gentle servant: `tis very clerkly done.”
Shakespeare: Two Gentlemen of Verona, iii. 1.

Client In Roman history meant a plebeian under the patronage of a patron. The client performed certain services, and the patron protected the life and interests of the client. The word is now a legal one, meaning a person who employs the services of a legal adviser to protect his interests.

Clifford (Paul). A highwayman, reformed by the power of love, in Sir L. Bulwer Lytton's novel so called.

Climacteric It was once believed that 7 and 9, with their multiples, were critical points in life; and 63, which is produced by multiplying 7 and 9 together, was termed the Grand Climacteric, which few persons succeeded in outliving.

“There are two years, the seventh and the ninth, that commonly bring great changes in a man's life, and great dangers; wherefore 63, that contains both these numbers multiplied together, comes not without heaps of dangers.”- Levinus Lemnius.

Climacteric Years are seventh and ninth, with their multiples by the odd numbers 3, 5, 7, 9- viz. 7, 9, 21, 27, 35, 45, 49, 63, and 81, over which astrologers supposed Saturn, the malevolent planet, presided. Hippocrates recognises these periods. (See Nine )

Climax means a stair (Greek), applied to the last of a gradation of arguments, each of which is stronger than the preceding. The last of a gradation of words of a similar character is also called a climax. The point of highest development.

“In the very climax of his career ... he was stricken down.”- Chittenden: Recollections of Lincoln chap. xlv. p. 454.

Climb On the climb. Under the hope of promotion. Thomas Becket, after he became Cardinal- archbishop of Canterbury, was at the top of the tree, and no further promotion was in the power of the king to bestow. Being no longer on the climb, he could set the king at defiance, and did do so.

Clinch To bend the point of a nail after it is driven home. The word is sometimes written clench, from the French clenche, the lift of a latch. (German, klinke; Dutch, klinken, to rivet.) (See page 261, col. 1, Clench )
   That was a clincher. That argument was not to be gainsaid, that remark drove the matter home, and fixed it “as a nail in a sure place.”
   A lie is called a clincher from the tale about two swaggerers, one of whom said, “I drove a nail right through the moon.” “Yes,” said the other, “I remember it well, for I went the other side and clinched it.” The French say, Je lui ai bien rivé son clou (I have clinched his nail for him).

Clinker (Humphrey). Hero of Smollett's novel so called. The general scheme of Oliver Twist resembles it. Humphrey is a workhouse boy, put out apprentice; but being afterwards reduced to great want, he attracts the notice of Mr Bramble, who takes him into his service. He turns out to be Bramble's natural son, and falls in love with Winifred Jenkins, Miss Bramble's maid.