Clamp

How to spell clamp

5 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce clamp

What does clamp mean?

1. nounA device with movable jaws used to grip or hold objects firmly together.
2. verbTo fasten, grip, or hold something firmly in place.

Clamp in a sentence

• noun

  He tightened the metal clamp to hold the two boards while the glue dried.

• verb

  She had to clamp the workpiece to the bench before sawing it.

• noun

  The mechanic used a hose clamp to stop the coolant leaking.

• verb

  The council can clamp any vehicle parked without a valid permit.

Where does clamp come from?

Language of origin: Dutch

Clamp comes from a family of Germanic words for a fastening or clasp, most directly the Middle Dutch and Middle Low German 'klampe', which meant a hook, clasp, or band used to grip something tightly. That word in turn traces back to a root meaning 'to press together' or 'to pinch', the same idea that gives us 'clip' and the cluster of 'cl-' words tied to clinging and clutching. It entered English in the late Middle Ages, around the 1300s and 1400s, first describing a brace or band of timber or metal used in building and shipwork. From the physical object the meaning naturally extended to the verb, 'to clamp', meaning to hold or fasten as if with such a band. The spelling stays refreshingly faithful to its Germanic source, so the only real care needed is the silent grip of the final consonant cluster 'mp'.

How the word is built

• clamp (a single Germanic root meaning a fastening or clasp; no prefix or suffix)