clam
B2Neutral (literal meaning); Informal/Slang (figurative meanings).
Definition
Meaning
A type of shellfish with two hinged shells, living buried in sand or mud.
1. A very secretive or uncommunicative person. 2. (US, informal) A dollar. 3. (US, slang, in 'clam up') To stop talking, become silent.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. Figurative uses ('clam up', 'tight as a clam') are common but informal. The 'dollar' sense is dated US slang.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb phrase 'to clam up' is common in both, but 'clam' as slang for 'dollar' is exclusively US and dated. The word is generally more frequent in US coastal contexts.
Connotations
In both, 'clam' suggests something closed, hidden, or secretive. In US, it can have a working-class, maritime, or old-fashioned connotation.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to culinary and coastal cultural prominence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N (clam + V)V (to clam up)ADJ (as) + clam (tight as a clam)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clam up”
- “happy as a clam”
- “tight as a clam”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in 'clam up' during negotiations meaning 'stop giving information'.
Academic
Used in marine biology/ecology contexts.
Everyday
Common in cooking, coastal activities, and informal speech ('He clammed up when I asked').
Technical
Marine biology, aquaculture, culinary arts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He always clams up when the topic turns to his past.
- The witness clammed up under cross-examination.
American English
- She clammed up the second her mother walked in.
- Don't clam up on me now, I need to know what happened.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form).
American English
- (No standard adverbial form).
adjective
British English
- (Rare as pure adjective; used in compounds like 'clam-like silence').
American English
- (Rare as pure adjective; used in compounds like 'clam-bake').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We found many clams on the beach.
- I like to eat clam soup.
- The detective asked a question, but the suspect clammed up immediately.
- Clam chowder is a popular dish in New England.
- Despite intense questioning, she remained as tight as a clam.
- The environmental report studied the impact on local clam populations.
- His previously voluble colleague clammed up conspicuously during the board meeting, signalling dissent.
- The study posits that the razor clam's burrowing mechanism is a marvel of biomechanical engineering.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CLAM with its shell tightly CLAMped shut, refusing to talk.
Conceptual Metaphor
SILENCE/ SECRECY IS A CLOSED SHELL (e.g., 'clam up').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'моллюск' (mollusk) which is a broader category. 'Clam' is specifically a bivalve like 'мидия' (mussel) or 'устрица' (oyster), but not exactly the same. The figurative 'clam up' translates to 'замолчать/закрыться'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'clam' for all shellfish (incorrect for shrimp, lobster). Confusing 'clam' (noun) with 'clamp' (verb).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a common meaning or use of 'clam'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only in the phrasal verb 'clam up', meaning to become silent or refuse to speak.
Clams typically burrow in sand/mud and have more rounded, symmetrical shells. Mussels attach to surfaces (like rocks) with byssal threads and have more elongated, asymmetrical shells.
Yes, it's a common idiom, primarily in American English, meaning very happy. The full original phrase is 'happy as a clam at high water' (safe from being dug up).
No. 'Clam' refers specifically to certain bivalve mollusks. It does not include crustaceans like crabs or lobsters, or other mollusks like snails (univalves).
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