Clammed: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿฆช
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clammed

 

[ klรฆmd ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

past tense

Clammed is the past tense of the verb 'clam,' which means to close or shut tightly, often referring to a shellfish or to be secretive. In a figurative sense, it can also refer to someone who refuses to speak or disclose information. The term is mostly used in informal contexts.

Synonyms

shut, silenced, withheld

Examples of usage

  • He clammed up during the interview.
  • The little boy clammed when asked about his whereabouts.
  • After the argument, she clammed and wouldn't talk to anyone.

Translations

Translations of the word "clammed" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น fechado

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฌเค‚เคฆ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช geschlossen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ tertutup

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะทะฐะบั€ะธั‚ะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ zamkniฤ™ty

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ้–‰ใ˜ใŸ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท fermรฉ

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ cerrado

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท kapalฤฑ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋‹ซํžŒ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุบู„ู‚

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ uzavล™enรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ uzavretรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ…ณ้—ญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ zaprt

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ lokuรฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะถะฐะฑั‹า›

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ“แƒแƒฎแƒฃแƒ แƒฃแƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ baฤŸlฤฑ

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ cerrado

Etymology

The term 'clam' as a verb originated in the late 19th century, deriving from the noun 'clam,' which refers to the bivalve mollusk. It is believed that the metaphor of clamming up was inspired by the way clams are tightly shut, making it a fitting description for someone who is keeping quiet or hiding their thoughts. The informal usage of the term became more prevalent in the 20th century, especially in American English, where it has been used to describe not only the act of withholding information but also the physical behavior of being uncommunicative. The transformation from a literal action related to shellfish to a figurative use emphasizes the dynamic nature of language and how terms can evolve to capture human behaviors and emotions.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,630, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.