First Known Use: 1528
Dictionary
cloy
verb \ˈklȯi\
Definition of CLOY
transitive verb
: to surfeit with an excess usually of something originally pleasing
intransitive verb
: to cause surfeit
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Origin of CLOY
Middle English, to hinder, lame, alteration of acloyen to harm, maim, modification of Anglo-French encloer to nail, prick a horse with a nail in shoeing, from Medieval Latin inclavare, from Latin in + clavus nail
Synonym Discussion of CLOY
satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion. satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire <years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel> <readers were sated with sensationalistic stories>. surfeit implies a nauseating repletion <surfeited themselves with junk food>. cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting <sentimental pictures that cloy after a while>. pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite <a life of leisure eventually begins to pall>. glut implies excess in feeding or supplying <a market glutted with diet books>. gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking <gorged themselves with chocolate>.
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