The Collaborative International Dictionary
Clepe \Clepe\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clepedor; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleping. Cf. Ycleped.] [AS. clepan, cleopian, clipian, clypian, to cry, call.] To call, or name. [Obs.]
That other son was cleped Cambalo.
--Chaucer.
Clepe \Clepe\, v. i. To make appeal; to cry out. [Obs.]
Wandering in woe, and to the heavens on high
Cleping for vengeance of this treachery.
--Mir. for
Mag.
[1913 Webster] ||
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"to call; to name" (archaic), from Old English cleopian, clipian "to speak, call; summon, invoke; implore."
Wiktionary
n. (context now chiefly dialectal English) A cry; an appeal; a call. vb. 1 (context intransitive archaic or dialectal English) To give a call; cry out; appeal. 2 (context transitive archaic or dialectal English) To call; call upon; cry out to. 3 (context transitive archaic or dialectal English) To call to one's self; invite; summon. 4 (context transitive archaic or dialectal English) To call; call by the name of; name. 5 (context intransitive now chiefly dialectal often with 'on' English) To tell lies about; inform against (someone). 6 (context intransitive now chiefly dialectal English) To be loquacious; tattle; gossip. 7 (context transitive now chiefly dialectal English) To report; relate; tell.
Usage examples of "clepe".
For of us chapmen,* all so God me save, *merchants And by that lord that cleped is Saint Ive, Scarcely amonges twenty, ten shall thrive Continually, lasting unto our age.
Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles, He may be cleped a god for hise myracles, For he kan maken at his owene gyse Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.
This constable dooth forth come a messageer, And wroot unto his kyng, that cleped was Alle, How that this blisful tidyng is bifalle, And othere tidynges spedeful for to seye.
Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte Was cleped faire damoysele Pertelote.
Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee.
Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde, She cleped on hir maistresse, hir bisyde, And seyde, that hir liste for to ryse.
But he that hath mysseyd, I dar wel sayn, He may by no wey clepe his word agayn.
Then shalt thou swim as merry, I undertake, As doth the white duck after her drake: Then will I clepe,* 'How, Alison?
But of one thing I warne thee full right, Be well advised, on that ilke* night, *same When we be enter'd into shippe's board, That none of us not speak a single word, Nor clepe nor cry, but be in his prayere, For that is Godde's owen heste* dear.
This is all and some, he held virginity More profit than wedding in frailty: (*Frailty clepe I, but if* that he and she *frailty I call it, Would lead their lives all in chastity), unless* I grant it well, I have of none envy Who maidenhead prefer to bigamy.
Fordrunk* as he sat on his bench upright, *completely drunk There came a privy thief, men clepe Death, That in this country all the people slay'th, And with his spear he smote his heart in two, And went his way withoute wordes mo'.
Hir gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy, And she was cleped Madame Eglentyne.
The statue of Mars upon a carte stood Armed, and looked grym as he were wood, And over his heed ther shynen two figures Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures That oon Puella, that oother Rubeus.
The vertu expulsif, or animal, Fro thilke vertu cleped natural Ne may the venym voyden, ne expelle.
Whoso that wole his large volume seke Cleped the Seintes Legende of Cupide, Ther may he seen the large woundes wyde Of Lucresse, and of Babilan Tesbee, The swerd of Dido for the false Enee, The tree of Phillis for hir Demophon, The pleinte of Dianire and Hermyon, Of Adriane and of Isiphilee, The bareyne yle stondynge in the see, The dreynte Leandre for his Erro, The teeris of Eleyne, and eek the wo Of Brixseyde, and of the, Ladomea, The crueltee of the, queene Medea, Thy litel children hangyng by the hals For thy Jason, that was in love so fals.