Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [klam uhp]
- /klæm ʌp/
- /klæm ʌp/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [klam uhp]
- /klæm ʌp/
Definitions of clam up words
- phrasal verb clam up If someone clams up, they stop talking, often because they are shy or to avoid giving away secrets. 3
- verb clam up to keep or become silent or withhold information 3
- noun clam up to keep silent or refuse to talk 3
- noun clam up any of various bivalve mollusks, especially certain edible species. Compare quahog, soft-shell clam. 1
- noun clam up Informal. a secretive or silent person. 1
- noun clam up clamminess. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of clam up
First appearance:
before 1585 One of the 35% oldest English words
1585-95; short for clam-shell, i.e., bivalve with a shell that clamps. See clam2, shell
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Clam up
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
clam up popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 82% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
clam up usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for clam up
verb clam up
- satisfy — to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of (a person, the mind, etc.); give full contentment to: The hearty meal satisfied him.
- hush — to become or be silent or quiet: They hushed as the judge walked in.
- appease — If you try to appease someone, you try to stop them from being angry by giving them what they want.
- muzzle — the mouth, or end for discharge, of the barrel of a gun, pistol, etc.
- subdue — to conquer and bring into subjection: Rome subdued Gaul.
Antonyms for clam up
verb clam up
- anger — Anger is the strong emotion that you feel when you think that someone has behaved in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way.
- annoy — If someone or something annoys you, it makes you fairly angry and impatient.
- incite — to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action: to incite a crowd to riot.
- release — to lease again.
- worry — to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with c
- Words starting with cl
- Words starting with cla
- Words starting with clam
- Words starting with clamu
- Words starting with clamup