clept

Verb

clepe (third-person singular simple present clepes, present participle cleping, simple past cleped or clept, past participle cleped or clept or ycleped or yclept)

1. (archaic, dialectal, intransitive) To give a call; cry out; appeal.
2. (archaic, dialectal, transitive) To call; call upon; cry out to.
3. (archaic, dialectal, transitive) To call to oneself; invite; summon.
4. (archaic, dialectal, transitive) To call; call by the name of; name.
   • She clepes him king of graues, & graue for kings, / Imperious ſupreme of all mortall things.1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, lines [995–996]

   Synonyms:

   designate

5. (dialectal, intransitive, often) To tell lies about; inform against (someone).
   • You tried to mentor someone, teach them the basics of the trade, and they ran off to clype on you.2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 173

   Synonyms:

   grass

6. (dialectal, intransitive) To be loquacious; tattle; gossip.

   Synonyms:

   blab

See all 8 meanings of clepe