5 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Clay \Clay\ (kl[=a]), n. [AS. cl[=ae]g; akin to LG. klei, D.
klei, and perh. to AS. cl[=a]m clay, L. glus, gluten glue,
Gr. gloio`s glutinous substance, E. glue. Cf. {Clog}.]
1. A soft earth, which is plastic, or may be molded with the
hands, consisting of hydrous silicate of aluminium. It is
the result of the wearing down and decomposition, in part,
of rocks containing aluminous minerals, as granite. Lime,
magnesia, oxide of iron, and other ingredients, are often
present as impurities.
2. (Poetry & Script.) Earth in general, as representing the
elementary particles of the human body; hence, the human
body as formed from such particles.
I also am formed out of the clay. --Job xxxiii.
6.
The earth is covered thick with other clay, Which
her own clay shall cover. --Byron.
{Bowlder clay}. See under {Bowlder}.
{Brick clay}, the common clay, containing some iron, and
therefore turning red when burned.
{Clay cold}, cold as clay or earth; lifeless; inanimate.
{Clay ironstone}, an ore of iron consisting of the oxide or
carbonate of iron mixed with clay or sand.
{Clay marl}, a whitish, smooth, chalky clay.
{Clay mill}, a mill for mixing and tempering clay; a pug
mill.
{Clay pit}, a pit where clay is dug.
{Clay slate} (Min.), argillaceous schist; argillite.
{Fatty clays}, clays having a greasy feel; they are chemical
compounds of water, silica, and aluminia, as {halloysite},
{bole}, etc.
{Fire clay}, a variety of clay, entirely free from lime,
iron, or an alkali, and therefore infusible, and used for
fire brick.
{Porcelain clay}, a very pure variety, formed directly from
the decomposition of feldspar, and often called {kaolin}.
{Potter's clay}, a tolerably pure kind, free from iron.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Clay \Clay\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Clayed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Claying}.]
1. To cover or manure with clay.
2. To clarify by filtering through clay, as sugar.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
clay
n 1: a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard
when fired
2: water soaked soil; soft wet earth [syn: {mud}]
3: United States general who commanded United States forces in
Europe from 1945 to 1949 and who oversaw the Berlin
airlift (1897-1978) [syn: {Lucius Clay}, {Lucius DuBignon
Clay}]
4: United States politician responsible for the Missouri
Compromise between free and slave states (1777-1852) [syn:
{Henry Clay}, {the Great Compromiser}]
5: the dead body of a human being [syn: {cadaver}, {corpse}, {stiff},
{remains}]
From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:
Clay, KY (city, FIPS 15202)
Location: 37.47688 N, 87.82042 W
Population (1990): 1173 (533 housing units)
Area: 2.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 42404
Clay, NY
Zip code(s): 13041
Clay, WV (town, FIPS 15676)
Location: 38.46275 N, 81.08019 W
Population (1990): 592 (305 housing units)
Area: 1.5 sq km (land), 0.2 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 25043
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Clay
This word is used of sediment found in pits or in streets (Isa.
57:20; Jer. 38:60), of dust mixed with spittle (John 9:6), and
of potter's clay (Isa. 41:25; Nah. 3:14; Jer. 18:1-6; Rom.
9:21). Clay was used for sealing (Job 38:14; Jer. 32:14). Our
Lord's tomb may have been thus sealed (Matt. 27:66). The
practice of sealing doors with clay is still common in the East.
Clay was also in primitive times used for mortar (Gen. 11:3).
The "clay ground" in which the large vessels of the temple were
cast (1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chr. 4:17) was a compact loam fitted for
the purpose. The expression literally rendered is, "in the
thickness of the ground,", meaning, "in stiff ground" or in
clay.