Adjacent Words

Clamp definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CLAMP, n.
1. In general, something that fastens or binds; a piece of timber or of iron, used to fasten work together; or a particular manner of uniting work by letting boards into each other.
2. In ship-building, a thick plank on the inner part of a ships side, used to sustain the ends of the beams.
3. A smooth crooked plate of iron forelocked on the trunnions of a cannon to keep it fast to the carriage. Clamps are also used to strengthen masts, and to fasten the masts and bowsprits of small vessels and of boats.
4. A pile of bricks laid up for burning, in which the end of one brick is laid over another, and a space is left between the bricks for the fire to ascend.
Clamp-irons, irons used at the ends of fires to keep the fuel from falling.
Clamp-nails, nails used to fasten on clamps in ships.
CLAMP, v.t.
1. To fasten with clamps.
2. In joinery, to fit a piece of board with the grain, to the end of another piece of board across the grain; as, to clamp a table to prevent its warping.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a device (generally used by carpenters) that holds things firmly together [syn: clamp, clinch] v
1: fasten or fix with a clamp; "clamp the chair together until the glue has hardened"
2: impose or inflict forcefully; "The military government clamped a curfew onto the capital"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch *klampe; akin to Old English clamm bond, fetter — more at clam Date: 14th century 1. a device designed to bind or constrict or to press two or more parts together so as to hold them firmly 2. any of various instruments or appliances having parts brought together for holding or compressing something II. transitive verb Date: 1683 1. to fasten with or as if with a clamp <clamp two boards together> 2. a. to place by decree ; impose — often used with on <clamped on a curfew after the riots> b. to hold tightly

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a device, esp. a brace or band of iron etc., for strengthening other materials or holding things together. 2 a device for immobilizing an illegally parked car. --v.tr. 1 strengthen or fasten with a clamp. 2 place or hold firmly. 3 immobilize (an illegally parked car) by fixing a clamp to one of its wheels. Phrases and idioms: clamp down 1 (often foll. by on) be rigid in enforcing a rule etc. 2 (foll. by on) try to suppress. clamp-down n. severe restriction or suppression. Etymology: ME prob. f. MDu., MLG klamp(e) 2. n. 1 a heap of potatoes or other root vegetables stored under straw or earth. 2 a pile of bricks for burning. 3 a pile of turf or peat or garden rubbish etc. Etymology: 16th c.: prob. f. Du. klamp heap (in sense 2 related to CLUMP)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clamp Clamp (kl[a^]mp), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clamped (kl[a^]mt; 215) p. pr. & vb. n. Clamping.] 1. To fasten with a clamp or clamps; to apply a clamp to; to place in a clamp. 2. To cover, as vegetables, with earth. [Eng.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clamp Clamp, n. [Prob. an imitative word. Cf. Clank.] A heavy footstep; a tramp.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clamp Clamp, v. i. To tread heavily or clumsily; to clump. The policeman with clamping feet. --Thackeray.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clamp Clamp (kl[a^]mp), n. [Cf. LG. & D. klamp, Dan. klampe, also D. klampen to fasten, clasp. Cf. Clamber, Cramp.] 1. Something rigid that holds fast or binds things together; a piece of wood or metal, used to hold two or more pieces together. 2. (a) An instrument with a screw or screws by which work is held in its place or two parts are temporarily held together. (b) (Joinery) A piece of wood placed across another, or inserted into another, to bind or strengthen. 3. One of a pair of movable pieces of lead, or other soft material, to cover the jaws of a vise and enable it to grasp without bruising. 4. (Shipbuilding) A thick plank on the inner part of a ship's side, used to sustain the ends of beams. 5. A mass of bricks heaped up to be burned; or of ore for roasting, or of coal for coking. 6. A mollusk. See Clam. [Obs.] Clamp nails, nails used to fasten on clamps in ships.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(clamps, clamping, clamped) 1. A clamp is a device that holds two things firmly together. N-COUNT 2. When you clamp one thing to another, you fasten the two things together with a clamp. Somebody forgot to bring along the U-bolts to clamp the microphones to the pole. VERB: V n to n 3. To clamp something in a particular place means to put it or hold it there firmly and tightly. Simon finished dialing and clamped the phone to his ear... He clamped his lips together... You beg him to try just one spoonful, and he clamps his mouth shut... Peter jumped to his feet with his hand clamped to his neck. VERB: V n prep, V n together, V n adj, V-ed 4. A clamp is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The driver has to pay to have the clamp removed. (BRIT; in AM, use Denver boot) N-COUNT 5. To clamp a car means to fit a clamp to one of its wheels so that it cannot be driven away. (BRIT; in AM, use boot) Courts in Scotland have ruled it illegal to clamp a car parked on private ground and then to demand a fine. VERB: V n • clamping The AA called for laws to regulate clamping firms.

Moby Thesaurus

affix, alum, anchor, annex, astringent, attach, bear hug, belay, bite, brace, bracket, cement, cinch, clasp, clench, clinch, cling, clinging, clip, clutch, compress, compressor, constrictor, contractor, cramp, crush, death grip, embrace, engraft, ensphere, fasten, fastener, firm hold, fix, foothold, footing, graft, grapple, grasp, grip, gripe, hold, hug, iron grip, knit, make fast, moor, nip, pincer, pinch, press, purchase, put to, screw up, secure, seizure, set, set to, squeeze, styptic, styptic pencil, tenure, tight grip, tighten, toehold, trice up, trim, tweak, vice, vise, wad up