clam

/klæm/
verb
  1. To dig for or gather clams.
    • They went clamming early in the morning before the tide came in.
    • We clammed along the shore and found enough for dinner.
    • He learned to clam from his grandfather.
  2. To become silent or refuse to talk (usually in the phrase 'clam up').
    • She clams up around strangers and barely says a word.
    • Whenever the topic of money comes up, he clams up.
    • The witness clammed up during the cross-examination.
noun
  1. A type of shellfish with a hard shell in two parts, often eaten as food.
    • She ordered a dozen raw clams at the seafood restaurant.
    • The clam opened its shell slightly when touched.
    • We dug for clams at the beach during low tide.
  2. A dollar (informal, used in phrases like 'not worth a clam').
    • He didn't have a clam to his name after the trip.
    • She saved every clam she earned for a year.
    • That old car isn't worth a clam anymore.
What does "clam" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean