---
title: clam — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «clam» in the school dictionary: A clam is a sea or river animal with a soft body inside two hard shells joined by a hinge; it lives buried in sand or mud. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# clam

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** clam, you, We, Clams, tide, giant clam · **What happens:** be, join, live, bury, eat, clam up · **To what, where:** sea, two hard shells, sand, Clams, empty clam shell, beach · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«clam» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [clam in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clam.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A clam is a sea or river animal with a soft body inside two hard shells joined by a hinge; it lives buried in sand or mud.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:m1:1
# text = A clam is a sea or river animal with a soft body inside two hard shells joined by a hinge; it lives buried in sand or mud.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clam	clam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	inside	inside	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
14	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
15	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	shells	shell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	_
17	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	acl	_	_
18	by	by	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	hinge	hinge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
24	buried	bury	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	xcomp	_	_
25	in	in	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
27	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
28	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a clam | a sea or river animal with a soft body  two hard shells |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **join** | participle |  | two hard shells *not said here* |  |  |  | by a hinge | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **live** | present | clam |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **bury** | participle | clam *not said here* |  |  | sand or mud |  |  | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in sand=Destination |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Clams are also eaten as seafood.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:m2:1
# text = Clams are also eaten as seafood.
1	Clams	clam	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	eaten	eat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	seafood	seafood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present · passive |  | Clams |  |  |  | as seafood | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To clam up means to suddenly stop talking, often because you are nervous or do not want to tell.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:m3:1
# text = To clam up means to suddenly stop talking, often because you are nervous or do not want to tell.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	clam	clam	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	nsubj	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
6	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
8	talking	talk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	often	often	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
11	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clam up** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **stop** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | suddenly *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **talk** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | nervous, often *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **not** **want** | present · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 7 | **tell** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found an empty clam shell on the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x1:1
# text = We found an empty clam shell on the beach.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	empty	empty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	clam	clam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | a empty clam shell |  | the beach |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shell=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Clams dig into the sand when the tide goes out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x2:1
# text = Clams dig into the sand when the tide goes out.
1	Clams	clam	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dig	dig	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tide	tide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
10	out	out	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dig** | present | Clams |  |  |  |  | into the sand | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.patient»: agent=Agent into sand=Patient |
| 2 | **go out** | present | the tide |  |  |  |  |  | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The giant clam lives on coral reefs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x3:1
# text = The giant clam lives on coral reefs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	clam	clam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	coral	coral	NOUN	NN	_	7	compound	_	_
7	reefs	reef	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | the giant clam |  |  | coral reefs |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on reef=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad ordered clam chowder at the restaurant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x4:1
# text = Dad ordered clam chowder at the restaurant.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	ordered	order	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	clam	clam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	chowder	chowder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	restaurant	restaurant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **order** | past | Dad | clam chowder |  | the restaurant |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent chowder=Theme at restaurant=Asset |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When the teacher asked who broke it, Sam clammed up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x5:1
# text = When the teacher asked who broke it, Sam clammed up.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
5	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
9	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	clammed	clam	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **break** | past |  | teacher |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Patient |
| 3 | **clam up** | past | Sam |  |  |  |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She shut her mouth like a clam and said nothing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clam:x6:1
# text = She shut her mouth like a clam and said nothing.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shut	shut	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	clam	clam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shut** | past | She | her mouth |  |  |  | like a clam | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent mouth=Patient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | She *not said here* | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent nothing=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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