clam up
clam up — 片語動詞
- clam upbase form
- clams up3rd person singular
- clamming up-ing form
- clammed uppast simple
1. to suddenly stop speaking or refuse to speak because you feel embarrassed, nervo
噤聲；閉口
因緊張或不願談而閉口不語
to suddenly stop speaking or refuse to speak because you feel embarrassed, nervous, or simply find a topic you would rather not discuss.
Whenever the teacher asked Hugo a difficult question, he clammed up and looked away.
每當老師問 Hugo 一個難題時，他就會噤聲並看向別處。
pattern: 'whenever' + trigger situation causes silence
Layla clammed up at dinner when her uncle brought up her exam results.
Layla 在晚餐時聽到叔叔提起她的考試成績，便噤聲不語。
The teenager clammed up as soon as his mother mentioned the broken window.
那個青少年一聽到媽媽提到打破的窗戶，就立刻噤聲。
Padma had a habit of clamming up in meetings whenever her opinion was challenged.
Padma 在會議中只要自己的意見被挑戰，就習慣性噤聲。
Isabela wanted to explain herself, but the moment she saw the judge she clammed up.
Isabela 本想替自己解釋，但一看到法官就噤聲了。
Jabari clammed up and refused to say another word about the accident.
Jabari 閉口不語，拒絕再對那場車禍多說一句話。
When the reporter asked about the missing money, the politician clammed up completely.
記者問起那筆失蹤的錢時，那位政治人物完全閉口不語。
Linh clammed up after discovering her colleague had been reading her private messages.
Linh 發現同事一直在偷看她的私人訊息後，便閉口不語。
- open up
to start talking freely about personal matters
- speak up
to express one's thoughts or opinions openly
- speak freely
to talk without holding back
文法句型
clam + up (no object)
用法筆記
Frequently appears in past tense ('clammed up'). Often used with a description of the event or question that triggers the silence (e.g., 'whenever...', 'as soon as...', 'every time...'). Never takes a direct object — you cannot 'clam someone up'.