clamp

American  

[klamp] / klæmp /

noun

1. a device, usually of some rigid material, for strengthening or supporting objects or fastening them together.

2. an appliance with opposite sides or parts that may be adjusted or brought closer together to hold or compress something.

3. one of a pair of movable pieces, made of lead or other soft material, for covering the jaws of a vise and enabling it to grasp without bruising.

4. Also called clamp rail.  Carpentry. a rail having a groove or a number of mortises for receiving the ends of a number of boards to bind them into a flat piece, as a drawing board or door.

5. Nautical.

   1. a horizontal timber in a wooden hull, secured to ribs to support deck beams and to provide longitudinal strength.

   2. mast clamp.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fasten with or fix in a clamp.

   Synonyms:

   secure, clench, clinch

verb phrase

1. clamp down on to impose or increase controls on.

2. clamp down to become more strict.

   There were too many tax loopholes, so the government clamped down.

clamp ¹ British  

/ klæmp /

noun

1. a mechanical device with movable jaws with which an object can be secured to a bench or with which two objects may be secured together

2. See also wheel clamp

3. a means by which a fixed joint may be strengthened

4. nautical a horizontal beam fastened to the ribs for supporting the deck beams in a wooden vessel

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verb

1. to fix or fasten with or as if with a clamp

2. to immobilize (a car) by means of a wheel clamp

3. to inflict or impose forcefully

   they clamped a curfew on the town

clamp ² British  

/ klæmp /

noun

1. a mound formed out of a harvested root crop, covered with straw and earth to protect it from winter weather

2. a pile of bricks ready for processing in a furnace

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verb

1. (tr) to enclose (a harvested root crop) in a mound

Other Word Forms

• unclamped adjective

Etymology

Origin of clamp

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Middle Dutch clampe clamp, cleat; cognate with Middle Low German klampe

Example Sentences

His body is rigid, hands clamped tight at his sides.

From Literature

"Most of the experiments were conducted using the patch clamp method," explains Christian Grimm, an expert in techniques that measure electrical activity in lysosomal membranes.

From Science Daily

The new act is designed to clamp down on supporters without tickets closely following legitimate ticket-holders through turnstiles.

From BBC

In Europe, Slovakia’s government on Wednesday allowed service stations to limit diesel sales, and set higher prices for cars with foreign plates as it clamps down on fuel tourism and hoarding.

From The Wall Street Journal

The new act is designed to clamp down on 'tailgating' - where supporters without tickets make their way through turnstiles by staying close behind legitimate ticket-holders.

From BBC

Related Words

• clench
• impose