Clamp

CLAMP, n.
1. In general, something that fastens or binds; a piece of timber or of iron, used to fasten work together; or a particular manner of uniting work by letting boards into each other.
2. In ship-building, a thick plank on the inner part of a ships side, used to sustain the ends of the beams.
3. A smooth crooked plate of iron forelocked on the trunnions of a cannon to keep it fast to the carriage. Clamps are also used to strengthen masts, and to fasten the masts and bowsprits of small vessels and of boats.
4. A pile of bricks laid up for burning, in which the end of one brick is laid over another, and a space is left between the bricks for the fire to ascend.
Clamp-irons, irons used at the ends of fires to keep the fuel from falling.
Clamp-nails, nails used to fasten on clamps in ships.
CLAMP, v.t.
1. To fasten with clamps.
2. In joinery, to fit a piece of board with the grain, to the end of another piece of board across the grain; as, to clamp a table to prevent its warping.

NEW: Google Full-Text Search of Webster's 1828 Custom Search Search Webster's 1828 Advanced Search

You can also look up words at dict.sorabji.com