clamp

/klæmp/

/klæmp/

Other forms: clamped; clamps; clamping

A clamp is a tool that's used to secure two things tightly together. When you repair a chair, it's best to use a clamp to hold the glued pieces together firmly.

Carpenters, woodworkers, and plumbers all use clamps when they want to hold things together while they wait for glue to dry or need their hands free. When you use this kind of device, you can also say you clamp something: "Clamp that board down for me before I turn the saw on." Clamp most likely shares a Germanic root with the word clam — *klam-, "to press together."

Definitions of clamp

1. noun

   a device (generally used by carpenters) that holds things firmly together
   synonyms: clinch

   types:

   bench clamp

   a clamp used to hold work in place on a workbench

   C-clamp

   a clamp in the shape of the letter C

   cramp

   a clamp for holding pieces of wood together while they are glued

   pipe clamp, pipe vise

   a clamp for holding pipe that is to be cut or threaded

   press

   clamp to prevent wooden rackets from warping when not in use

   type of:

   holding device

   a device for holding something
2. verb

   fasten or fix with a clamp
   “clamp the chair together until the glue has hardened”

   type of:

   fasten, fix, secure

   cause to be firmly attached
3. verb

   impose or inflict forcefully
   “The military government clamped a curfew onto the capital”

   type of:

   bring down, impose, inflict, visit

   impose something unpleasant