verb
- past tense of clam; to dig for clams
- past tense of clam up; to become silent or refuse to speak
Usage: informal
Examples
- We clammed along the beach at low tide yesterday.
- The fishermen clammed in the shallow waters all morning.
- When the police asked questions, he clammed up immediately.
- She clammed when her parents brought up her grades.
- The witness clammed during cross-examination.
- After the argument, both kids clammed and wouldn’t talk.