What does clame mean?
"Clame" is an obsolete English verb that once meant to clutch, grasp, or cling to something. It belongs to a small family of words connected with gripping and holding, alongside "clam" and "clamp." Like many short, forceful verbs of physical action, it has faded entirely out of everyday use, and modern readers will encounter it only in older dictionaries, dialect glossaries, or historical writing. Its meaning is easy to remember because it overlaps closely with living synonyms such as "clutch," "clasp," and "cling" — words that still carry the sense of holding on tightly, whether out of fear, determination, or affection. Although "clame" itself is no longer current, it is occasionally confused with "claim," a very common modern verb meaning to assert or demand something as one's right; the two share letters but nothing else. For anyone interested in the history of English, "clame" offers a small window into how verbs of physical grasping have shifted and survived across the centuries.
verbAn obsolete English verb meaning to clutch, grasp, or cling to something.
- To clutch, grasp, or cling to something (obsolete).
"The drowning sailor clame at the drifting rope with desperate strength."
"The frightened child clame tightly to her mother's coat."
"He clame at the ledge as the ground crumbled beneath him."
Before it vanished from English, "clame" described the most human of gestures — gripping on for dear life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clame
Clame appears in older English dictionaries as an obsolete verb meaning to clutch or cling, recorded in historical and dialectal sources rather than in continuous literary use. It is generally associated with the Germanic family of words concerned with gripping — including "clam" and "clamp" — though its precise lineage is not firmly established. It has no connection to the unrelated Latin-derived "claim." The word dropped out of use centuries ago and now survives chiefly as a dictionary curiosity.
How clame is actually used
This word is obsolete and no longer appears in modern English usage; it survives only in historical texts and dictionaries. It should not be used in contemporary writing except for deliberate archaic effect.
Easily confused with clame
"Claim" means to assert or demand something as one's right, while the obsolete "clame" meant physically clutching or clinging to something.
"Clam" is a noun for a marine bivalve (or slang for a dollar), whereas "clame" was a verb meaning to grasp or cling.