clot

[klot]

noun

1. a mass or lump.

2. a semisolid mass, as of coagulated blood.

3. a small compact group of individuals.

   a clot of sightseers massed at the entrance.

4. British Informal.,  blockhead, dolt, clod.

verb (used without object)

clotted, clotting 

1. to form into clots; coagulate.

verb (used with object)

clotted, clotting 

1. to cause to clot.

2. to cover with clots.

   Carefully aimed snowballs clotted the house.

3. to cause to become blocked or obscured.

   to clot the book's narrative with too many characters.

clot

/ klɒt /

noun

1. a soft thick lump or mass

   a clot of blood

2. informal,  a stupid person; fool

verb

1. to form or cause to form into a soft thick lump or lumps

clot

1. A soft insoluble mass formed when blood or lymph gels. During blood clotting, white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and various clotting factors interact in a cascade of chemical reactions initiated by a wound. When a body tissue is injured, calcium ions and platelets act on prothrombin to produce the enzyme thrombin. Thrombin then catalyzes the conversion of the protein fibrinogen into fibrin, a fibrous protein that holds the clot together. An abnormal clot inside the blood vessels or the heart (a thrombus or an embolus) can obstruct blood flow.

Other Word Forms

• declot verb
• nonclotting adjective
• unclotted adjective
• clottish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of clot¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English clott lump; cognate with Middle Dutch klotte, German Klotz block, log ( klutz )

Word History and Origins

Origin of clot¹

Old English clott, of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch klotte block, lump

Example Sentences

When Aβ attaches to fibrinogen, it produces unusual clots that resist breakdown.

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Atrial fibrillation is of particular concern because it causes irregular heartbeats and erratic blood flow, raising the risk of blood clots and stroke.

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Consider anticoagulants, medications that prevent blood from clotting.

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Vitamin K, a fat-soluble nutrient best known for its role in blood clotting and bone health, has recently attracted attention for its influence on brain cell development and protection.

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After arriving in hospital, Arlene was told her husband had a blood clot in the brain but was still conscious and sitting up.

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Related Words

• clotting www.thesaurus.com
• clump 
• lump