I. ˈklam, -aa(ə)m noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English clamm bond, fetter; akin to Old High German klamma constriction, Old Norse klām obscene language, Latin glomus ball, Greek glamōn blear-eyed, Latin galla gall on a plant — more at gall
: a viselike or pincerlike device designed to hold or constrict something : clamp: as
a. : a tight ligature used in bloodless castration of domestic animals
b. : a comblike frame used for holding feathers for clothing decoration
II. transitive verb
( clammed ; clammed ; clamming ; clams )
dialect Britain : to grasp with the hand : grope , clutch
III. verb
( clammed ; clammed ; clamming ; clams )
Etymology: Middle English clammen, alteration of clemen to smear, from Old English clǣman — more at cloam
transitive verb
dialect England : to daub, smear, or clog especially with glutinous or viscous matter ; specifically : to plug up (a kiln) with wet clay
intransitive verb
dialect England : to become clammy : stick , adhere
IV. adjective
Etymology: Middle English; akin to clammen, v.
1. dialect chiefly Britain : sticky , adhesive
2. dialect chiefly Britain : damp and cold
V. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: clam (I) (clamp); from the clamping action of the shells
1.
a. : any of a number of bivalve mollusks ; especially : any of various equivalved edible marine mollusks that live wholly or partially buried in sand or mud — see butter clam , quahog , razor clam , soft-shell clam
b. : a freshwater mussel
c. : the flesh of a clam used as food — usually used in plural
2. : a stolid or closemouthed person
3. : clamshell 2
[s]clam.jpg[/s] [
clam 1a: a incurrent orifice, b siphon, c excurrent orifice, d mantle, e shell, f foot
]
VI. verb
( clammed ; clammed ; clamming ; clams )
intransitive verb
: to gather clams especially by digging
transitive verb
: to harvest clams from
these beds are clammed mostly by summer people
VII.
variant of clem I
VIII. noun
1. : dollar
it cost me seventy-five clams , and I wore it only twice — Ethel Merman
2. : a sour note
hit a clam during the first few bars — Nat Hentoff