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to clam up
[phrase form: clam]
01
to suddenly become silent or refuse to talk, often because of nervousness, fear, or a desire to keep information secret
Example
Every time the teacher asked him about his weekend, he would clam up and avoid eye contact.
During the interrogation, the suspect suddenly clam up and refused to answer any more questions.
When discussing her personal life, Sarah tends to clam up and change the subject.
