Oxford Dictionary English

    clamp

    verb
    verb
    BrE BrE//klæmp//
    ; NAmE NAmE//klæmp//
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they clamp
    BrE BrE//klæmp//
    ; NAmE NAmE//klæmp//
     he / she / it clamps
    BrE BrE//klæmps//
    ; NAmE NAmE//klæmps//
     past simple clamped
    BrE BrE//klæmpt//
    ; NAmE NAmE//klæmpt//
     past participle clamped
    BrE BrE//klæmpt//
    ; NAmE NAmE//klæmpt//
     -ing form clamping
    BrE BrE//ˈklæmpɪŋ//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈklæmpɪŋ//
     Controlling traffic
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  1. 1[transitive] to hold something tightly, or fasten two things together, with a clamp clamp A to B Clamp one end of the plank to the edge of the table. clamp A and B (together) Clamp the two halves together until the glue dries. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbfirmly, tight, tightly, … prepositionaround, round, on, … phrasesclamped between your teeth, clamp shut adverbhard prepositionon See full entry
  2. 2[transitive, intransitive] to hold or fasten something very tightly so that it does not move; to be held tightly clamp something + adv./prep. He had a cigar clamped between his teeth. She clamped a pair of headphones over her ears. I clamped a hand on his shoulder. A mobile phone was clamped to her ear. + adv./prep. Her lips clamped tightly together. clamp (something) + adj. He clamped his mouth shut. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbfirmly, tight, tightly, … prepositionaround, round, on, … phrasesclamped between your teeth, clamp shut adverbhard prepositionon See full entry
  3. 3[transitive, often passive] clamp something/somebody (British English) to fix a clamp (2) to a car’s wheel so that the car cannot be driven away Her car had been clamped. She’d been (= her car had been) clamped. Wordfindertrafficclamp, cone, contraflow, pedestrian, roadworks, speed hump, tailback, toll, traffic, zebra crossing See related entries: Controlling traffic
    4.  Word OriginMiddle English: probably of Dutch or Low German origin and related to clam.Extra examples A large hand clamped over her mouth. Clamp the pieces of wood together while the glue sets. He clamped his hand firmly onto Jack’s shoulder. He had a large cigar clamped between his teeth. His mouth clamped shut. Parts are clamped in place with a special machine. She clamped her arms around him. The dog’s jaws were clamped to his leg. to clamp down hard on bullying Phrasal Verbsclamp downclamp on
See clamp in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: clamp
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