| 释义 |
clam
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
 [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 > |