Clamp

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /klæmp/

Definitions

1. A device used to hold objects tightly together or to secure something firmly in place
2. A device employed for holding or securing items tightly in position while also providing stability to parts during assembly or construction
3. An implement designed to grip or hold items securely ; to fasten something strongly in place ; to exert force to limit movement or access

Etymology: The sense of "clamp" that holds things together came into English from Middle Dutch "clamp" or "klampe," meaning a clamp or hook. Its deeper roots lie in a Proto-Germanic word, "*klampō," meaning clamp, clasp, or cramp, which belonged to a family of Germanic words for grasping and gripping. Related forms survive across the region: Middle Low German "klampe" meant a hook or clasp, and German "Klampfe" and "Klampe" describe a cleat, the fitting used to fasten ropes on a ship. Scholars consider the word imitative, meaning its sound was shaped to echo the action it describes, with the hard "k" and the "mp" closing like jaws snapping shut on an object. That bit of sound symbolism is a plausible explanation rather than a proven one, so it is best taken as a suggestion about why the word feels so right for something that squeezes.

Synonyms: fastener, holder, clip, grip, brace

Antonyms: release, loosen, detach, unfasten, unclamp