clam up

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Definition

Verb: - To suddenly become silent and refuse to speak, especially when one is expected to talk or provide information. It implies a deliberate, often stubborn, refusal to communicate further.

Usage

This verb is used to describe a person's action of stopping talking, usually abruptly and completely. It often occurs in situations involving pressure, interrogation, shyness, or a desire to keep information secret. It is an informal, idiomatic phrasal verb.

Examples
  • Verb:
    • When the police started asking difficult questions, the suspect clammed up immediately.
    • She's very talkative normally, but she clams up in large groups.
    • Don't clam up now; we need to know what happened.
Advanced Usage
  • "to clam up on someone": To stop talking specifically to or in front of a particular person.
    • He was telling a great story but clammed up on me when his boss walked in.
Variants and Related Words
  • Clam (n): While the noun "clam" refers to a shellfish, it is the source of this idiom, comparing a silent person to a tightly closed clam shell.
  • Clammed-up (adj): Describing the state of being silent and uncommunicative.
    • He remained clammed-up throughout the entire meeting.
Synonyms
  • Shut up: (informal) To stop talking.
  • Clam up is more specific than "shut up," implying a defensive or secretive silence.
  • Clam up is more informal and idiomatic than "become silent" or "fall silent."
  • Clam up suggests a more complete and stubborn refusal to speak than "stop talking."
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Close up: Can be used similarly to mean becoming silent or uncommunicative.
    • He closed up when the topic turned to his family.
  • Dry up: To stop talking, often because one has forgotten what to say or has become nervous.
    • The speaker dried up halfway through his presentation.
Related Idioms
  • Button one's lip: To deliberately stop talking; to keep a secret.
    • I had to button my lip to avoid giving away the surprise.
  • Hold one's tongue: To refrain from speaking.
    • It was difficult, but I held my tongue during the argument.
Verb
  1. refuse to talk or stop talking; fall silent
    • The children shut up when their father approached

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