clay n Loose stony soil; also attrib.
   [1772] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 217 After which I went to the stage with a load of clay. 1915 Christmas Greeting 23 We knew 'twas no live man, but we kept on clearing the clay off the chest and from the ends so that we could lift it. P 148-65 ~ soil, rocky soil, loosely whatever can be dug up out of the ground. C 71-106 Clay scrape [is] a height of land on which no trees or other vegetation grew. It was usually a steep piece of land, very difficult to climb because there was no vegetation to use as a foothold.

Go Back