clarts: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low/ObscureDialectal/Colloquial/Rural
Quick answer
What does “clarts” mean?
Wet, sticky, clinging mud or dirt.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Wet, sticky, clinging mud or dirt.
Used figuratively to refer to messy, troublesome, or unwanted things or situations. Also appears in the idiom 'clarty' (adjective) meaning dirty, muddy, or sticky.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a Northern English (especially Northumbrian, Cumbrian, Yorkshire, Scottish) and Northern Irish dialect word. Largely unknown in American English.
Connotations
In its native dialects, it is a standard, descriptive word for mud. Outside those regions, it can sound rustic, humorous, or quaint.
Frequency
Extremely rare in American English; limited to regional, chiefly rural, usage in the UK.
Grammar
How to Use “clarts” in a Sentence
[to be/get] covered in clarts[to walk through/track in] clarts[to clean/wipe off] the clartsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clarts” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The dog will clart the floor if you let it in now.
- She clarted mud all up the hallway.
adjective
British English
- It's a right clarty day for a walk.
- He came in with clarty boots.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Almost never used.
Academic
Almost never used, except in dialectology or cultural studies.
Everyday
Limited to specific UK regional dialects in rural or informal settings.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clarts”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Assuming it is universally understood across the English-speaking world.
- Spelling as 'clartz'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a regional dialect word, primarily from Northern England and Scotland. It is not part of standard English vocabulary.
Yes, but rarely. In its dialect areas, it can mean 'to make dirty or muddy' (e.g., 'The dog clarted the floor').
'Clarts' is a specific type of wet, sticky, clinging mud. All clarts are mud, but not all mud is necessarily 'clarty' enough to be called clarts.
It is used to describe something covered in wet, sticky dirt. E.g., 'clarty hands', 'clarty weather', 'a clarty job' meaning a messy, unpleasant task.
Wet, sticky, clinging mud or dirt.
Clarts is usually dialectal/colloquial/rural in register.
Clarts: in British English it is pronounced /klɑːts/, and in American English it is pronounced /klɑːrts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clarty (adj.): covered in clarts; messy”
- “clarty-handed: having dirty hands”
- “a clart of a job: a messy, unpleasant task”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine your 'clothes' getting ruined by sticky 'arts' made of mud = CLARTS.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIRT/OBSTACLE (e.g., 'bogged down in clarts' = stuck in a difficult situation).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'clarts' be MOST appropriately used?