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clam
(redirected from clammed up)

   Also found in: Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
clam 1  (klm)
n.
1.
a. Any of various usually burrowing marine and freshwater bivalve mollusks of the class Pelecypoda, including members of the genera Venus and Mya, 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: set me back 75 clams.
intr.v. clammed, clam·ming, clams
To hunt for clams.
Phrasal Verb:
clam up Informal
To refuse to talk.

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

clammer n.

clam 2  (klm)
n.
A clamp or vise.

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

clam1
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) 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
2. (Cookery) the edible flesh of such a mollusc
3. Informal a reticent person
vb clams, clamming, clammed
(intr) Chiefly US to gather clams See also clam up
[from earlier clamshell, that is, shell that clamps; related to Old English clamm fetter, Old High German klamma constriction; see clamp1]

clam2
vb clams, clamming, clammed
a variant of clem

Clam a stack or pile of bricks; a heap of oysters.
Examples: clam of bricks, 1663; of earth, 1554; of oysters.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.clamclam - burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud; the shell closes with viselike firmness
bivalve, lamellibranch, pelecypod - marine or freshwater mollusks having a soft body with platelike gills enclosed within two shells hinged together
Mya arenaria, soft-shell clam, long-neck clam, steamer clam, steamer - an edible clam with thin oval-shaped shell found in coastal regions of the United States and Europe
Mercenaria mercenaria, hard clam, Venus mercenaria, hard-shell clam, quahaug, quahog, round clam - an edible American clam; the heavy shells were used as money by some American Indians
geoduck - a large edible clam found burrowing deeply in sandy mud along the Pacific coast of North America; weighs up to six pounds; has siphons that can extend to several feet and cannot be withdrawn into the shell
jackknife clam, knife-handle, razor clam - marine clam having a long narrow curved thin shell
giant clam, Tridacna gigas - a large clam inhabiting reefs in the southern Pacific and weighing up to 500 pounds
shipworm, teredinid - wormlike marine bivalve that bores into wooden piers and ships by means of drill-like shells
clam - flesh of either hard-shell or soft-shell clams
2.clamclam - a piece of paper money worth one dollar
U.S.A., United States, United States of America, US, USA, America, the States, U.S. - North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
bank bill, bank note, banker's bill, banknote, Federal Reserve note, government note, greenback, bill, note - a piece of paper money (especially one issued by a central bank); "he peeled off five one-thousand-zloty notes"
3.clam - flesh of either hard-shell or soft-shell clams
clam - burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud; the shell closes with viselike firmness
shellfish - meat of edible aquatic invertebrate with a shell (especially a mollusk or crustacean)
hard-shell clam, quahaug, quahog, round clam - Atlantic coast round clams with hard shells; large clams usually used for chowders or other clam dishes
long-neck clam, soft-shell clam, steamer, steamer clam - a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
Verb1.clam - gather clams, by digging in the sand by the ocean
gather, pull together, collect, garner - assemble or get together; "gather some stones"; "pull your thoughts together"
Translations
clam [klæm]
A. N
1. (Zool) → almeja f
2. (US) (= dollar) → dólar m
B. CPD clam chowder N (US) → sopa f de almejas
clam up VI + ADVcerrar el pico, no decir ni pío

clam [ˈklæm] n (= shellfish) → palourde f
clam up
vila boucler >

clam
nVenusmuschel f; he shut up like a clamaus ihm war kein Wort mehr herauszubekommen

clam [klæm] nvongola
clam up vi + adv (fam) → zittirsi

clam [klæm] nvongola
clam up vi + adv (fam) → zittirsi

clam
n clam [klӕm]
a shellfish with two shells joined together, used as food. gapermossel, gaapskulp بطلينوس: سَمَكٌ صَدَفي вид мида škeble, mlž musling die Venusmuschel οστρακοειδές almeja merekarp صدف simpukka palourde צְדָפָה एक प्रकार का घोंघा čančica, lisanka ehető kagyló kerang skelfiskur mollusco はまぐり 조개 moliuskas ēdamais gliemezis kima mossel (spiselig) musling małż ameijoa moluscă морской моллюск lastúrnik školjka školjka klepavica mussla หอยชนิดหนึ่งกินได้ midye, deniz tarağı їстівний молюск مچھلی کی ایک قسم (động vật) con trai


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
Although that was five years ago, Bashi, who now runs the ornate Belt Mamlouka boutique hotel in Damascus' maze-like Old City, clammed up when I asked her about the incident.
At one point, Vermeil introduced Kinnear to the entire team and then clammed up, giving Kinnear the floor.
He was still attacking Terri Schiavo's husband after other Republicans, with an eye toward opinion polls, clammed up.
 
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