'Venus mercenaria' definitions:
Definition of 'Venus mercenaria'
From: WordNet
noun
An edible American clam; the heavy shells were used as money by some American Indians [syn: quahog, quahaug, hard-shell clam, hard clam, round clam, Venus mercenaria, Mercenaria mercenaria]
Definition of 'Venus mercenaria'
From: GCIDE
- Quahog \Qua"hog\, Quahaug \Qua"haug\, n. [Abbrev. fr. Narragansett Indian poqua[^u]hock.] (Zool.) An American market clam (Venus mercenaria). It is sold in large quantities, and is highly valued as food. Called also round clam, and hard clam. [1913 Webster]
- Note: The name is also applied to other allied species, as Venus Mortoni of the Gulf of Mexico. [1913 Webster] Quaigh
Definition of 'Venus mercenaria'
From: GCIDE
- Clam \Clam\ (kl[a^]m), n. [Cf. Clamp, Clam, v. t., Clammy.]
- 1. (Zool.) A bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those that are edible; as, the long clam (Mya arenaria), the quahog or round clam (Venus mercenaria), the sea clam or hen clam (Spisula solidissima), and other species of the United States. The name is said to have been given originally to the Tridacna gigas, a huge East Indian bivalve. [1913 Webster]
- You shall scarce find any bay or shallow shore, or cove of sand, where you may not take many clampes, or lobsters, or both, at your pleasure. --Capt. John Smith (1616). [1913 Webster]
- Clams, or clamps, is a shellfish not much unlike a cockle; it lieth under the sand. --Wood (1634). [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Ship Carp.) Strong pinchers or forceps. [1913 Webster]
- 3. pl. (Mech.) A kind of vise, usually of wood. [1913 Webster]
- Blood clam. See under Blood. [1913 Webster]