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clack

[klak]
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verb (used without object)
  1. to make a quick, sharp sound, or a succession of such sounds, as by striking or cracking: The loom clacked busily under her expert hands.
  2. to talk rapidly and continually or with sharpness and abruptness; chatter.
  3. to cluck or cackle.
verb (used with object)
  1. to utter by clacking.
  2. to cause to clack: He clacked the cup against the saucer.
noun
  1. a clacking sound.
  2. something that clacks, as a rattle.
  3. rapid, continual talk; chatter.

Origin of clack

1200–50; Middle English clacken; imitative
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for clacked

Historical Examples

  • Santobono at one gulp emptied his glass and clacked his tongue.

    The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete

    Emile Zola

  • She shook her cane at the tall man and clacked at him again.

  • He clacked his tongue in concern and bent over, touching Ed's wrist.

    Cat and Mouse

    Ralph Williams

  • Then he clacked his tongue, and the horse resumed its rapid gait.

    A Chambermaid's Diary

    Octave Mirbeau

  • The reins were tightened, Nikolaeff clacked his lips, and the wagon moved on at a trot.

    Sevastopol

    Lyof N. Tolsto

British Dictionary definitions for clacked

clack

verb
  1. to make or cause to make a sound like that of two pieces of wood hitting each other
  2. (intr) to jabber
  3. a less common word for cluck
noun
  1. a short sharp sound
  2. a person or thing that produces this sound
  3. chatter
  4. Also called: clack valve a simple nonreturn valve using either a hinged flap or a ball

Word Origin

C13: probably from Old Norse klaka to twitter, of imitative origin
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

Word Origin and History for clacked

clack

v.

mid-13c., not in Old English, from Old Norse klaka "to chatter," of echoic origin; cf. Dutch klakken "to clack, crack," Old High German kleken, French claquer "to clap, crack (see claque). Related: Clacked; clacking.

clack

n.

mid-15c., from clack (v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper