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Clam vs Clamp - What's the difference?

clam | clamp |

As nouns the difference between clam and clamp

is that clam is a bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; as, the long clam (species: Mya arenaria), the quahog or round clam (Venus mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (species: Spisula solidissima), and other species of the United States. The name is said to have been given originally to the species: Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve while clamp is a brace, band, or clasp for strengthening or holding things together.

As verbs the difference between clam and clamp

is that clam is to dig for clams while clamp is to fasten in place or together with (or as if with) a clamp.

clam

English

(wikipedia clam)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; as, the long clam (, a huge East Indian bivalve.
  • * , chapter=3
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams' thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. ' Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.}}
  • Strong pincers or forceps.
  • A kind of vise, usually of wood.
  • (US, slang) A dollar (usually used in the plural). Possibly originating from the term wampum.
  • (slang, derogatory) A Scientologist.
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=1998, date=23 February, author=
  • jesparolini, title=CO$ Celebrities: USEFUL IDIOTS citation

    Verb

    (clamm)
  • To dig for clams.
  • Derived terms

    * American jackknife clam * Atlantic jackknife clam * bamboo clam * clam chowder * clamshell * clam up * giant clam * piss clam * razor clam

    See also

    * clammy

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A crash or clangor made by ringing all the bells of a chime at once.
  • (Nares)

    Verb

    (clamm)
  • To produce, in bellringing, a clam or clangor; to cause to clang.
  • (Nares)

    Etymology 3

    Noun

  • clamminess; moisture
  • * Carlyle
  • The clam of death.

    Verb

    (clamm)
  • To be moist or glutinous; to stick; to adhere.
  • (Dryden)
  • To clog, as with glutinous or viscous matter.
  • * L'Estrange
  • A swarm of wasps got into a honey pot, and there they cloyed and clammed themselves till there was no getting out again.
    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    clamp

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A brace, band, or clasp for strengthening or holding things together.
  • A mass of bricks heaped up to be burned; or of ore for roasting, or of coal coking.
  • A piece of wood (batten) across the grain of a board end to keep it flat, as in a breadboard.
  • A heavy footstep; a tramp.
  • Derived terms

    * clover clamp * nipple clamp

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (intransitive) To fasten in place or together with (or as if with) a clamp .
  • * 1897 , (Bram Stoker), (Dracula) Chapter 21
  • As we burst into the room, the Count turned his face, and the hellish look that I had heard described seemed to leap into it. His eyes flamed red with devilish passion. The great nostrils of the white aquiline nose opened wide and quivered at the edge, and the white sharp teeth, behind the full lips of the blood dripping mouth, clamped together like those of a wild beast.
  • To tread heavily or clumsily; to clump or clomp.
  • * Thackeray
  • The policeman with clamping feet.
  • To hold or grip tightly.
  • To modify a numeric value so it lies within a specific range.
  • (UK, obsolete, transitive) To cover (vegetables, etc.) with earth.
  • Derived terms

    * clamp down

    See also

    * clasp * vise, vice