See Also: sea clam(medicine)
clam(encyclopedia)
clam(8)(dictionary)
clam(7)(dictionary)
clam(6)(dictionary)
clam(5)(dictionary)
clam(4)(dictionary)
clam(3)(dictionary)
clam(2)(dictionary)
clam(1)(dictionary)

clam(3) (iou)



clam noun2. [klam] E16.
[App. from CLAM noun1.]
A bivalve mollusc; esp. (a) Scot. a scallop; (b) an extremely large tropical bivalve, Tridacna gigas (usu. giant clam); (c) either of two common bivalves valued as food on the east coast of N. America, the quahog Venus mercenaria (also hard clam, round clam) and Mya arenaria, which has a very long siphon (also long clam, longneck clam, soft clam, steamer clam). (Earliest in clam-shell below.) E16.
(as) happy as a clam: see HAPPY adjective. Venus clam: see VENUS 9. Washington clam: see WASHINGTON 1.
The mouth. US slang. E19.
A person who is close-minded, close-mouthed, etc.; a taciturn person. US slang. M19.
Comb.: clambake US a social gathering for eating (esp. clams and fish) outdoors; a loud and lively gathering, a jam-session; clamdigger (a) a person who digs for clams; (b) (clamdiggers) close-fitting calf-length trousers for women; clam-shell (a) the shell of a clam; (b) US slang = sense 2 above.