clam up

clam ¹

 (klăm)

n.

1.

a. Any of various usually burrowing marine and freshwater bivalve mollusks chiefly of the subclass Heterodonta, including members of the families Veneridae and Myidae, many of which are edible.

b. The soft edible body of such a mollusk.

2. Informal A close-mouthed person, especially one who can keep a secret.

3. Slang A dollar: owed them 75 clams.

intr.v. clammed, clam·ming, clams

To hunt for clams.

Phrasal Verb:

clam up Informal

To refuse to talk.

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[From obsolete clam-shell, shell that clamps, clam, from clam.]

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clam′mer n.

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clam ²

 (klăm)

n.

A clamp or vise.

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[Middle English, from Old English clam, clamm, bond, fetter.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

clam up

vb

(intr, adverb) informal to keep or become silent or withhold information

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

clam up - refuse to talk or stop talking; fall silent; "The children shut up when their father approached" be quiet, belt up, button up, keep mum, shut up, dummy up, close up

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

stare zitto

houdenmondzijnzwijgen

w>clam up

vi (inf) → keinen Piep (mehr) sagen (inf); he clammed up on me → ich habe kein Wort mehr aus ihm herausgekriegt (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007