clamp down

clamp down
verb
repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable)
-

The police clamped down on illegal drugs

• Syn: ↑crack down
• Derivationally related forms: ↑crackdown (for: ↑crack down), ↑clampdown
• Hypernyms:
↑restrict, ↑restrain, ↑trammel, ↑limit, ↑bound, ↑confine, ↑throttle
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

* * *

verb
Etymology: clamp (II)
1. : to clean (the deck of a boat) by spraying with water and swabbing down
2. : to impose (as a curfew, blackout, censorship) especially in a sudden, arbitrary, or violent manner

the police clamped down a deadline after which all slot machines were to disappear

: to become suddenly or violently repressive, dire, or dictatorial

a military adventurer took over control of a free people and then clamped down — New Yorker

— usually used with on

the government was clamping down on Moslem activities — New York Times

* * *

ˌclamp ˈdown [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they clamp down he/she/it clamps down present participle clamping down past tense clamped down past participle clamped down] phrasal verb
to make a determined attempt to stop people doing something bad or illegal
clamp down on:

The government plans to clamp down on illegal militant groups.

Thesaurus: to refuse permission, or to not allow somethingsynonym
Main entry: clamp

* * *

suppress or prevent something, typically in an oppressive or harsh manner

police clamped down on a pro-democracy demonstration


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • clamp|down — clamp down or clamp|down «KLAMP DOWN», noun. U.S. Informal. a strict restriction or prohibition of something, as of gambling …   Useful english dictionary

  • clamp-down — or clamp|down «KLAMP DOWN», noun. U.S. Informal. a strict restriction or prohibition of something, as of gambling …   Useful english dictionary

  • clamp down on — (something) to act to stop or limit something. Police here have finally clamped down on speeding …   New idioms dictionary

  • clamp down on — SUPPRESS, prevent, stop, put a stop/end to, stamp out; crack down on, limit, restrict, control, keep in check. → clamp * * * clamp down on To suppress, or suppress the activities of, firmly (clampˈdown noun) • • • Main Entry: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • clamp down — phrasal verb [intransitive] Word forms clamp down : present tense I/you/we/they clamp down he/she/it clamps down present participle clamping down past tense clamped down past participle clamped down to make a determined attempt to stop people… …   English dictionary

  • clamp down — v. (D; intr.) to clamp down on (to clamp down on pickpockets) * * * [ klæmp daʊn] (D; intr.) to clamp down on (to clamp down on pickpockets) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • clamp down — PHRASAL VERB To clamp down on people or activities means to take strong official action to stop or control them. [JOURNALISM] [V P on n] If the government clamps down on the movement, that will only serve to strengthen it in the long run... [V P] …   English dictionary

  • clamp·down — /ˈklæmpˌdaʊn/ noun, pl downs [count] : an increased effort to make sure that people obey laws and rules usually singular a security clampdown in the city s subway system usually + on a clampdown on drug trafficking a clampdown …   Useful english dictionary

  • clamp down on — they promised to clamp down on the drug trafficking in this neighborhood Syn: suppress, prevent, stop, put a stop/end to, stamp out; crack down on, limit, restrict, control, keep in check …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • clamp down on — verb To take measures to stop something; to put an end to. The government aims to clamp down on underage drinking …   Wiktionary

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