clam

[ klam ]

/ klæm /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR clam ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of various bivalve mollusks, especially certain edible species.Compare quahog, soft-shell clam.

Informal. a secretive or silent person.

clamminess.

Slang. a dollar or the sum of a dollar: I only made 60 clams a week.

verb (used without object), clammed, clam·ming.

to gather or dig clams.

Verb Phrases

clam up, Slang. to refuse to talk or reply; refrain from talking or divulging information: The teacher asked who had thrown the eraser, but the class clammed up.

Origin of clam

1585–95; short for clam-shell, i.e., bivalve with a shell that clamps. See clam², shell

OTHER WORDS FROM clam

clamlike, adjectiveclammer, noun

Words nearby clam

Claire, clair-obscure, Clairton, clairvoyance, clairvoyant, clam, clamant, clamatorial, clambake, clamber, clambering

Definition for clam (2 of 2)

clam²

[ klam ]

/ klæm /

noun

British Dialect. clamp (defs. 1-3).

Machinery. (formerly) pincers.

Origin of clam

before 1000; Middle English; Old English, derivative of clamm fetter, grasp; cognate with German Klamm fetter; akin to clamp

Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for clam

Akin to San Francisco’s signature cioppino, it’s an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to seafood, with squidi, shrimp, clams, mussels and fish all thrown together into one delicious dish.
Listen to Africa’s Singing Giants|Joshua Eferighe|October 2, 2020|Ozy
You see this a lot when individuals who are accused of something decide to clam up, often under the advice of their attorney.
Untruth and Consequences in Ferguson|Matt Lewis|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Back in California, Zach finds that people from whom he might learn about the bombing either die, disappear, or clam up.
Joseph McElroy’s ‘Cannonball’ Is the Meta Iraq War Novel|Tom LeClair|July 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“The Clam Castle was crowded with taxpayers,” Pete says in typical fashion.
Jeffrey Eugenides Hails Donald Antrim’s 'Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World'|Jeffrey Eugenides|June 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Sour Cream and Clam Chips Manufacturer: Humpty Dumpty Potato Chip Co.
The 44 Most Extreme Super Bowl Snacks|The Daily Beast|February 3, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Then they found a place where he had sat down and broken a lot of clam shells, and again had hastened on.
Rolf In The Woods|Ernest Thompson Seton
Zenas Henry is swinging that clam bucket as if there wasn't a thing in it.
Flood Tide|Sara Ware Bassett
The look of the lady, and her tone as she said this, did not by any means contribute to Mr Clam's satisfaction.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327|Various
In the Essex and Ipswich rivers the clam flats have a continuous current.
A Report upon the Mollusk Fisheries of Massachusetts|Commissioners on Fisheries and Game
This clam has a thick though not ponderous shell, with prominent beaks and a stout, prominent ligament.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold

British Dictionary definitions for clam (1 of 2)

clam¹

/ (klæm) /

noun

any of various burrowing bivalve molluscs of the genera Mya, Venus, etc. Many species, such as the quahog and soft-shell clam, are edible and Tridacna gigas is the largest known bivalve, nearly 1.5 metres long

the edible flesh of such a mollusc

informal a reticent person

verb clams, clamming or clammed

(intr) mainly US to gather clams

Word Origin for clam

C16: from earlier clamshell, that is, shell that clamps; related to Old English clamm fetter, Old High German klamma constriction; see clamp 1

British Dictionary definitions for clam (2 of 2)

clam²

/ (klæm) /

verb clams, clamming or clammed

a variant of clem

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with clam

clam

In addition to the idiom beginning with clam

clam up

also see:

happy as the day is long (as a clam)

单词	clam
释义	clam ¹ [ klam ] / klæm / SEE SYNONYMS FOR clam ON THESAURUS.COM noun any of various bivalve mollusks, especially certain edible species.Compare quahog, soft-shell clam. Informal. a secretive or silent person. clamminess. Slang. a dollar or the sum of a dollar: I only made 60 clams a week. verb (used without object), clammed, clam·ming. to gather or dig clams. Verb Phrases clam up, Slang. to refuse to talk or reply; refrain from talking or divulging information: The teacher asked who had thrown the eraser, but the class clammed up. Origin of clam ¹ 1585–95; short for clam-shell, i.e., bivalve with a shell that clamps. See clam², shell OTHER WORDS FROM clam clamlike, adjectiveclammer, noun Words nearby clam Claire, clair-obscure, Clairton, clairvoyance, clairvoyant, clam, clamant, clamatorial, clambake, clamber, clambering Definition for clam (2 of 2) clam² [ klam ] / klæm / noun British Dialect. clamp (defs. 1-3). Machinery. (formerly) pincers. Origin of clam ² before 1000; Middle English; Old English, derivative of clamm fetter, grasp; cognate with German Klamm fetter; akin to clamp Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020 Example sentences from the Web for clam Akin to San Francisco’s signature cioppino, it’s an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to seafood, with squidi, shrimp, clams, mussels and fish all thrown together into one delicious dish. Listen to Africa’s Singing Giants\|Joshua Eferighe\|October 2, 2020\|Ozy You see this a lot when individuals who are accused of something decide to clam up, often under the advice of their attorney. Untruth and Consequences in Ferguson\|Matt Lewis\|October 25, 2014\|DAILY BEAST Back in California, Zach finds that people from whom he might learn about the bombing either die, disappear, or clam up. Joseph McElroy’s ‘Cannonball’ Is the Meta Iraq War Novel\|Tom LeClair\|July 25, 2013\|DAILY BEAST “The Clam Castle was crowded with taxpayers,” Pete says in typical fashion. Jeffrey Eugenides Hails Donald Antrim’s 'Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World'\|Jeffrey Eugenides\|June 2, 2012\|DAILY BEAST Sour Cream and Clam Chips Manufacturer: Humpty Dumpty Potato Chip Co. The 44 Most Extreme Super Bowl Snacks\|The Daily Beast\|February 3, 2010\|DAILY BEAST Then they found a place where he had sat down and broken a lot of clam shells, and again had hastened on. Rolf In The Woods\|Ernest Thompson Seton Zenas Henry is swinging that clam bucket as if there wasn't a thing in it. Flood Tide\|Sara Ware Bassett The look of the lady, and her tone as she said this, did not by any means contribute to Mr Clam's satisfaction. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327\|Various In the Essex and Ipswich rivers the clam flats have a continuous current. A Report upon the Mollusk Fisheries of Massachusetts\|Commissioners on Fisheries and Game This clam has a thick though not ponderous shell, with prominent beaks and a stout, prominent ligament. The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide\|Augusta Foote Arnold British Dictionary definitions for clam (1 of 2) clam¹ / (klæm) / noun any of various burrowing bivalve molluscs of the genera Mya, Venus, etc. Many species, such as the quahog and soft-shell clam, are edible and Tridacna gigas is the largest known bivalve, nearly 1.5 metres long the edible flesh of such a mollusc informal a reticent person verb clams, clamming or clammed (intr) mainly US to gather clams See also clam up Word Origin for clam C16: from earlier clamshell, that is, shell that clamps; related to Old English clamm fetter, Old High German klamma constriction; see clamp 1 British Dictionary definitions for clam (2 of 2) clam² / (klæm) / verb clams, clamming or clammed a variant of clem Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Idioms and Phrases with clam clam In addition to the idiom beginning with clam clam up also see: happy as the day is long (as a clam) The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Words related to clam mollusk, littleneck, quahog, cherrystone
随便看	inconscient inconsecutive in consequence inconsequent inconsequential inconsiderable inconsiderate in consideration of inconsistency inconsistent inconsolable inconsonant inconspicuous inconstant temaki temazepam temblor temenus temerarious temerity temesvár temin temirtau temne temp

clam

noun

verb (used without object), clammed, clam·ming.

Verb Phrases

Origin of clam

OTHER WORDS FROM clam

Words nearby clam

Definition for clam (2 of 2)

noun

Origin of clam

Example sentences from the Web for clam

British Dictionary definitions for clam (1 of 2)

noun

verb clams, clamming or clammed

Word Origin for clam

British Dictionary definitions for clam (2 of 2)

verb clams, clamming or clammed

Idioms and Phrases with clam

Words related to clam