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Glite Dictionary
to clam up

to clam up

14 6.6
Stop talking suddenly because you are nervous or do not want to say anything
  • phrasal verb
  • /klæm ʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : callarse
  • Recovering, McCaleb clams up.
  • he just clams up
  • then clammed up
  • clams up when asked

Examples

  • When asked about her plans for the future, she decided to clam up instead of sharing her thoughts.

  • He'll just clam up and act crazy like last time.

    Prisoners (2013)

  • "Like mother, like daughter," she said, and then clammed up when I asked what she meant.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Oh, come on, don't clam up on me now.

    Jersey Girl (2004)

  • What I mean is, the last couple of months, you been clamming up on me every time we've been out on the beat together.

    I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

  • She looks like she's about to say something, then just... clams up.

    Music and Lyrics (2007)

  • When I asked how he'd dealt with that while he was in the slammer, he clammed up.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Dewey, realizing he's said too much, clams up.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • During the interview, he started to clam up, refusing to answer any more questions.

  • After his parents confronted him about his grades, he clammed up and wouldn't say a word.

Synonyms

to shut up
vsto clam up
  • Offensive
∞ 4.1

Tell someone to be quiet in a rude or angry way

is sudden silence caused by nerves or unwillingness not a rude order
to be quiet
vsto clam up
231 1.0

To stop making noise or talking

is sudden refusal to speak often caused by nerves or unwillingness
to close up
vsto clam up
10 4.8

To stop talking and say nothing

is sudden silence caused by nervousness rather than just unwillingness
to button up
vsto clam up
  • Informal
3 7.1

To stop talking suddenly and not answer questions

is sudden silence driven by nervousness or reluctance rather than choice
to keep mum
vsto clam up
  • Informal
3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

is sudden silence from nervousness rather than planned secrecy or protection
to dummy up
vsto clam up
  • Archaic
9.6

Refuse to speak or suddenly stop talking when asked

is silent suddenly because of nervousness or personal unwillingness to tell
to belt up
vsto clam up
  • Offensive
9.2

To tell someone to stop talking and be quiet

is sudden self silence due to nervousness not an informal command

Antonyms

to share
711 1.0

To tell someone about your thoughts, feelings or experiences

to speak up
43 2.0

Talk more loudly so people can hear you

How Silent

to clam up
  • Informal
14 6.6
to be quiet
231 1.0
to speak
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

clam up infinitive
clammed up past
clammed up past participle
clamming up present participle
clams up third person singular

Morphology

clam + up

The metaphorical link between a clam (an animal associated with silence) and becoming silent gives learners a partial clue, but 'clam' as a verb plus the particle 'up' is colloquial and not a straightforward compositional pattern. Because the meaning relies on an idiomatic metaphor and the verb form is uncommon, a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would only partially infer the meaning and likely need exposure.

Etymology

Clam up may come from the sea animal clam, which shuts its shell tight when it is scared. That's why to clam up means 'to suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak'.