See Also: claret(dictionary)
claret(dictionary)
CLARET Credit Union(finance)

claret (iou)



claret adjective & noun. LME.
[Old French (vin) claret (mod. clairet) orig. of light-red wines, from clare: see CLARY noun1.]
A. adjective.
claret wine = sense B.1 below. LME-E18.
Of the colour of claret. M16.
b. noun.
Orig., wine of a yellowish or light-red colour, as distinguished from white or red wine; later, red wine generally. Now, (a) red wine from Bordeaux in France; transf. (a) wine of the same character from some other country. Also, a drink of such wine. E16.
Blood. slang. E17.
The colour of claret, (now) a reddish violet. M17.
Phrases: riddle of claret: see RIDDLE noun2 1. tap a person's claret slang make a person's nose bleed by a blow with the fist.
Comb.: claret colour = sense 3 above; claret-coloured adjective of the colour claret.
clare'teer noun (now rare or obsolete) a drinker of claret L17.
clarety adjective E18.