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clam up
clam 1 C0382300 (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.
[From obsolete clam-shell, shell that clamps, clam, from clam.]
clam′mer n.
clam 2 C0382300 (klăm)n. A clamp or vise.
[Middle English, from Old English clam, clamm, bond, fetter.]clam up vb (intr, adverb) informal to keep or become silent or withhold information 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 |
clam up
clam upTo suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak, typically due to a particular reason. The phrase refers to a clam closing its shell. Naturally, everyone clammed up as soon as the check came. Our usual informant clammed up when he realized there was a mole in the department.See also: clam, upclam upto say nothing. (Closing one's mouth in the way that a clam closes up.) The minute they got him in for questioning, he clammed up. You'll clam up if you know what's good for you.See also: clam, upclam upRefuse to talk or respond, as in Whenever she asks her teenager about his activities, he clams up. This term alludes to the tightly closed valves of a live clam. [Slang; early 1900s] See also: clam, upclam upv. Slang To refuse to talk or to stop talking suddenly: The politician clammed up when the reporters started to ask about the scandal.See also: clam, upclam up in. to get quiet. (see also dummy up.) The minute they got him inside the cop-shop, he clammed up. See also: clam, upEncyclopediaSeeclamclam up
Related to clam up: clammer, Long clamSynonyms for clam upverb refuse to talk or stop talkingSynonyms- be quiet
- belt up
- button up
- keep mum
- shut up
- dummy up
- close up
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