clout / klout/ • n. 1. inf. a heavy blow with the hand or a hard object: a clout on the ear.2. inf. influence or power, esp. in politics or business: I knew he carried a lot of clout.3. archaic a piece of cloth or clothing, esp. one used as a patch.4. Archery a target used in long-distance shooting, placed flat on the ground with a flag marking its center. ∎  a shot that hits such a target. • v. [tr.] 1. inf. hit hard with the hand or a hard object: I clouted him on the head.2. archaic mend with a patch.

clout †patch, metal plate OE.; piece of cloth XIII; (from the vb.) blow with the hand XIV. OE. clūt, corr. to (M)LG., MDu. klūt(e) (Du. kluit lump, clod), ON. klútr kerchief; rel. to CLEAT, CLOT.
Hence clout vb. patch OE. (clūtian, in pp. ġeclūtod) cuff heavily XIV.