clam 1
— clamlike , adj. — clammer , n.
/klam/ , n. , v. , clammed, clamming .
n.
1. any of various bivalve mollusks, esp. certain edible species. Cf. quahog, soft-shell clam .
2. Informal. a secretive or silent person.
3. clamminess.
4. Slang. a dollar or the sum of a dollar: I only made 60 clams a week.
v.i.
5. to gather or dig clams.
6. 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.
[ 1585-95; short for clam-shell, i.e., bivalve with a shell that clamps. See CLAM 2 , SHELL ]
clam 2
/klam/ , n.
1. Brit. Dial. clamp 1 (defs. 1-3).
2. Mach. (formerly) pincers.
[ bef. 1000; ME; OE, deriv. of clamm fetter, grasp; c. G Klamm fetter; akin to CLAMP ]