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clapperboard
Clai-borne, Craig /'klerbɔ:rn||-'bɔ:rn, kreɪg/ (1920-2000) a
US writer of COOKERY BOOKS and articles about food in
newspapers
claim¹ /kleɪm/ v 1 [(on, for);T] to ask for, take, or state that
you should have (something to which you have a right): Did
you claim on the insurance after your car accident? | Old
people are entitled to claim a special heating allowance from
the government. | If no one claims the lost umbrella, the
person who found it can keep it. | A small terrorist group has
claimed responsibility for the bombing in London. 1 (fig.) The
flood claimed hundreds of lives. 2 [T+to-v (that);obj] to declare
to be true; state, especially in the face of opposition; MAINTAIN:
They claim to have discovered/claim that they have discovered
a cure for the disease, but this has not yet been proved. 3 [T] to
deserve or need: This problem claims our undivided attention.
claim² n 1 [C;U(for, on)] a demand or request for something
which you have a right to have: The management is consider-
ing the union's pay claim. | When her house was burgled, she
made a claim on the insurance. | He put in a claim for his
travelling expenses. | He laid claim to the throne. (=said it
was his by right) 2 [C;U(to, on)] a right to something: He has a
rightful claim to the property; it was his mother's. | You may
be my sister, but that doesn't mean you have any claims on
me. | The town's claim to fame is that it has the country's
oldest church. 3 [C] a statement that something is true or
real, especially one that other people may disagree with;
ASSERTION: The government say they have reduced personal
taxation, but I would dispute this claim. | [+to-v] I make no
claim to understand all the complexities of the matter. | [+that]
I don't accept the claim that they have reduced taxes. 4 [C]
something claimed, especially an area of land or a sum of
money -> see also jump a claim (JUMP), stake a claim
(STAKE)
clai-mant /'kleɪmənt/ n [(to)] fml or law a person who asks for
something, especially money, because they think they have
a right to it: rival claimants to the throne | claimants of
unemployment benefit
clair-voy-ant /kleə'vɔɪənt||kleər-/ n a person who claims to
be able to see what will happen in the future —clairvoyant
adj: clairvoyant powers —ance n [U]
clam¹ /klæm/ n a small soft-bodied sea animal with a shell in
two parts that can open and close, that lives in sand or mud
and can be eaten: (fig.) She shut up like a clam (=stopped
talking suddenly) when they started to ask questions.
clam² v -mm- especially AmE go clamming to collect clams by
digging in the sand or mud
clam up phr v [I] slang to become silent, especially because
of fear or unwillingness to give information: She clammed
up whenever I mentioned her husband.
clam-bake /'klæmbeɪk/ n especially AmE 1 an informal party
by the sea, especially one where clams etc are cooked and
eaten 2 slang a noisy high-spirited party or political meeting
clam-ber /'klæmbə/ v [(adv/prep)] to climb using both the
feet and hands and usually with difficulty: We clambered
down the side of the cliff. | Tell the children to stop clambering
(about) over my new furniture.
clam-my /'klæmi/ adj unpleasantly sticky, slightly wet, and
usually cold: clammy hands/weather —mily adv —miness
n [U]
clam-our¹ BrE || clamor AmE /'klæmər/ n 1 [S] a loud
continuous usually confused noise or shouting: a clamour of
voices/of bells 2 [U(for)] a continuous strong demand or
complaint made by a large number of people: The govern-
ment ignored the clamour for a public inquiry into these
events. —orous adj: clamorous demands
lamour² BrE || clamor AmE— v [I] 1 [(for)] to express (a
demand) continually, loudly, and strongly: The people were
clamouring for his execution. | The children were clamouring
to be fed. 2 to make a loud confused noise
lamp¹ /klæmp/ n 1 [C] an apparatus for fastening or
holding things firmly together, usually consisting of two
parts that can be moved nearer together by turning a
screw 2 [C; the+S] also wheelclamp BrE fml || Denver boot AmE
— an apparatus that is fastened to the wheels of a car etc in
order to prevent it from moving
lamp² v 1 [T+obj+adv/prep] to fasten or hold with a clamp:
Clamp the two pieces of wood together until the glue dries. |
Clamp it onto the edge of the table. 2 [T] also wheelclamp BrE
formal || boot AmE — to prevent (a car etc) from moving by
putting a clamp on the wheels. In Britain, vehicles are
usually clamped in a town because they have been parked in
the wrong place. Their owners have to pay to get them back:
Oh no! My van's been/I've been clamped again! —er n
clamp down phr v [(on)] to use your power to limit or
prevent practices that are disapproved of: The police are
determined to clamp down on violence at football matches. ->
see also CLAMPDOWN
clamp-down /'klæmpdaun/ n [(on)] a sudden usually official
limitation or prevention of doing or saying something: The
government has ordered a (total) clampdown on public demon-
strations. -> see also CLAMP DOWN
clan /klæn/ n [C+sing./pl. v] 1 (especially in Scotland) a group of
families, all originally descended from one family and all
usually having the same family name. In the past, each clan
had a chief and wore cloth decorated with a particular pattern
(a TARTAN): the McIntosh clan 2 humor a large family or group
of related people: The whole clan is/are coming to stay with
us at Christmas.
Clan-cy, Tom /'klænsi/ (1947-) a US writer of popular NOV-
ELS, including The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and
The Sum of All Fears. Many of his books have been made into
films.
clan-des-tine /klæn'destɪn/ adj done secretly or privately,
and often against the law: a clandestine meeting/marriage
—ly adv —ness n [U]
clang /klæŋ/ v [I;T] to (cause to) make a loud ringing sound
like the sound of metal being hit —clang n [S]
clang-er /'klæŋər/ n BrE slang a very noticeable mistake or
unintentionally foolish remark: She dropped a clanger
when she mentioned his ex-wife.
clan-gor || also -gour BrE /'klæŋər/ n [(the)S] especially lit a sound
of repeated clanging: the clangor of the bells —ous adj
—ously adv
clank /klæŋk/ v [I;T] to (cause to) make a short loud sound,
like that of a heavy metal chain being moved —clank n [S]
the clank of chains as the ship's anchor was lowered into the
sea
clan-nish /'klænɪʃ/ adj often derog (of a group of people)
closely united and tending not to trust or welcome people
from outside the group —ly adv —ness n [U]
clans-man /'klænzmən/, clans-wom-an /-,wʊmən/ fem.
— n pl. -men /mən/ a member of a CLAN
clap¹ /klæp/ v -pp- 1 [I;T] to bring (your open hands)
together with a quick movement and loud sound, especially
to show approval of a performance: The audience clapped
loudly/enthusiastically at the end of the play. -> see also
HANDCLAP 2 [T+obj+on] to hit lightly with the open hand in
a friendly manner, usually on the back: His boss clapped him
on the back approvingly. 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] infml to put or
place, usually quickly and effectively: The judge clapped her
in prison before she had time to explain. | He clapped his hand
over his mouth as soon as he realized what he had
said. 4 clap eyes on BrE infml to see: I haven't clapped eyes on
her for years.
clap² n 1 [C] a loud explosive sound: a clap of thunder 2 [S]
an act of clapping the hands: Give him a clap, every-
one! 3 [S(on)] a light friendly hit, usually on the back, with
the open hand
clap, the n euph slang the disease GONORRHEA
clap-board /'klæpbɔ:rd||'klæbɔ:d, 'klæpbɔ:rd/ n [U] AmE for
WEATHERBOARD: a clapboard house
Clap-ham Junc-tion /ˌklæpəm 'dʒʌŋkʃən/ a very busy
railway station in southwest London where a lot of people
catch a train to work or change trains
clapped-'out adj BrE infml 1 (of a thing) old and worn out: a
clapped-out old car 2 [F] (of a person) very tired
clap-per /'klæpər/ n 1 the hammer-like object inside a bell
which strikes it to make it ring 2 an apparatus that makes a
repeated loud noise: Some farmers use clappers to keep birds
off their crops. -> see also CLAPPERS
clap-per-board /'klæpəbɔ:d||-ærbɔ:rd/ n a wooden board
on which a short description of a scene to be filmed for the