clanger

Etymology 1

From clang (“loud ringing sound”) + -er.

noun

1. Something that clangs; an alarm bell (also figuratively).
   The front and patio doors are bugged. When you open one a contact breaks and off goes the clanger. 1972, The Saturday review, Volume 55, Part 2, page 21
   The conversation was hard-going; we didn't click at all, but then he dropped the clanger: Beazley has done a lunch with Maxine McKew and ‘It will be read as he wants to come back. Our people want to go big with it.’ 2005, Mark Latham, The Latham Diaries, unnumbered page
   Anyway, this clanger sounds. We put out our smokes, shoulder our packs, put on our helmets. The drill was that you turned around and handed your rifle to the guy behind you who then attached it to your pack while you attached the rifle of the guy in front of you to his pack. 2007, Stephen H. Foreman, Toehold, page 195
2. The clapper of a bell, anything that strikes a bell or other metal object to make a ringing sound.
   I dismounted and walked over to Pelleas. “You may remember me, my Lord,” I said. “You once made me a knife from a bell clanger. I am Morgan, Queen of Galloway.” 1994, Courtway Jones, Witch of the North, page 254
   The clanger was made out of the same material, and attached to a chain at one end. The idea was to stick the clanger in the opening of the triangle and start circulating, whacking the triangle on all three sides as fast as you could. 1998, Dick Hyson, The Calling, page 100
   He showed me where to pull the clanger, and I pulled and pulled and the clanging joined the music of the bombardment. 2011, Jerry Spinelli, Milkweed, unnumbered page
3. (chiefly UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, informal, often in the phrase drop a clanger) A very noticeable mistake; an attention-getting faux pas.
   In his speech, the best man got the bride's name wrong. What a clanger!
   He dropped a real clanger when he criticized the paraplegic for not standing.
   When a woman heckler at Rayleigh shouted, “No more clangers!” Brown proudly rejoined: “Now listen, dear. My latest clanger was to say that people should be allowed to buy houses at lower rates of interest than you can get them for at the moment. I stand by that.” 1965, Anthony Howard, Richard West, The Road to Number 10, page 215
   Furthermore if a person drops even a little clanger not only will he know but the others will know and the offender will certainly know that they know! 1976, Musical Opinion, volume 100, page 244
   ‘I say,’ he added, changing the subject completely and leaning closer, ‘sorry to hear about that Riding-Hood debacle. Don′t let it get you down, eh? We all drop a serious clanger sooner or later.’ 2006, Jasper Fforde, The Fourth Bear, published 2009, unnumbered page
4. (Australia, Australian rules football) A mistake made by a player; counted in the game statistics in the category "errors including frees against".
   Geelong could not get their running game going and lapsed into clanger after clanger. 2006, Jim Main, Rohan Connolly, More Than a Century of AFL Grand Finals, page 202
5. An early hi-hat consisting of cymbals mounted on the rim of a bass drum and struck with an arm on the drum's pedal.
6. (Australia, entomology) A cicada, Psaltoda claripennis, of New South Wales and Queensland, having an upper body of green and brown and clear wings with green veins.

Etymology 2

Shortening of Bedfordshire clanger.

noun

1. Short for Bedfordshire clanger.