n. [ Cf. Clamp, Clam, v. t., Clammy. ] 1. (Zool.) A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; as, the long clam (Mya arenaria), the quahog or round clam (Venus mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species of the United States. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve. [ 1913 Webster ]

You shall scarce find any bay or shallow shore, or cove of sand, where you may not take many clampes, or lobsters, or both, at your pleasure. Capt. John Smith (1616). [ 1913 Webster ]

Clams, or clamps, is a shellfish not much unlike a cockle; it lieth under the sand. Wood (1634). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Ship Carp.) Strong pinchers or forceps. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. (Mech.) A kind of vise, usually of wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blood clam. See under Blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Clammed p. pr. & vb. n. Clamming. ] [ Cf. AS. clæman to clam, smear; akin to Icel. kleima to smear, OHG. kleimjan, chleimen, to defile, or E. clammy. ] To clog, as with glutinous or viscous matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

A swarm of wasps got into a honey pot, and there they cloyed and clammed Themselves till there was no getting out again. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be moist or glutinous; to stick; to adhere. [ R. ] Dryden [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Claminess; moisture. [ R. ] “The clam of death.” Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Abbrev. fr. clamor. ] A crash or clangor made by ringing all the bells of a chime at once. Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To produce, in bell ringing, a clam or clangor; to cause to clang. Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. clamans, p. pr. of clamare to call. Cf. Claimant. ] Crying earnestly, beseeching clamorously. “Clamant children.” Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. clamatio, fr. L. clamare to call. ] The act of crying out. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ L. clamator, pl. clamatores, a bawler. ] (Zool.) A division of passerine birds in which the vocal muscles are but little developed, so that they lack the power of singing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Like or pertaining to the Clamatores. [ 1913 Webster ]