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• clem
  clem

  verb (used with or without object)

  to starve.
• Clem
  Clem

  noun

  a male given name, form of Clement.

clem

¹ American  

[klem] / klɛm /

verb (used with or without object)

British Dialect.

clemmed, clemming

1. to starve.

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Clem ² American  

[klem] / klɛm /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Clement.

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clem British  

/ klɛm /

verb

1. dialect (when tr, usually passive) to be hungry or cause to be hungry

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Etymology

Origin of clem

1530–40; akin to Middle English forclemmed (past participle) pinched with hunger, Old English beclemman to fetter

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clem Clem clemmed clemming

I clem up and look through the log cracks at him cutting up the meat fer the hands on his place.

From Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Arkansas Narratives, Part 4 by Work Projects Administration

"I cannot eat stones and turfs: say, what will he clem me and my followers?"

From Notes and Queries, Number 191, June 25, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George

What, will he clem me and my followers? ask him an he will clem me; do, go.

From The Poetaster by Jonson, Ben

"Work or clem," that were what Tom allays tould me th' ould bell were sayin'.

From The Atlantic Book of Modern Plays by Leonard, Sterling Andrus

I clem up, rech up and got holt of that box and I was so heavy I pulled it down and broke all the old blue edge plates.

From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Arkansas Narratives, Part 3 by Work Projects Administration

One Labour source joked, "there are rumours that they've brought an ouija board through the green baize door to consult Clem Atlee and Harold Wilson".

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

"All of our mission control rooms are all in this building," said Clem.

From Barron's ● Apr. 4, 2026

The responses include Sweetwater customers sending Clem photos of their home studios.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 24, 2026

People smile, Clem said, “when they see the possibilities,” when they join the chorus and the cause, and rather than retreat in silence, make themselves heard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2026

Clem asks, like everything’s okay between us when he knows it ain’t.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome

"When my entrails Were clemmed with keeping a perpetual fast."

From Notes and Queries, Number 191, June 25, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George

In Yorkshire, "clemmed" means "starved," and "starved" means "perished with cold."

From The House 'Round the Corner by Tracy, Louis

Well, I 'lows, Doctor, them has been clemmed up on times.

From Labrador Days Tales of the Sea Toilers by Grenfell, Wilfred Thomason, Sir

Father, father!" said I. "Thou'll never go peach on that poor clemmed man.

From North and South by Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn

He wor fairly clemmed wi' t' cold,—'at he wor.

From The History of David Grieve by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

It's made many of us keen for all our lives," he remarked, "all that clemming for education.

From The New Machiavelli by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

I have heerd they're a pack of spiritless, down-trodden men; welly clemmed to death; too much dazed wi' clemming to know when they're put upon.

From North and South by Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn

I'd scorn to speak for mysel; but when I see such men as Davenport there dying away, for very clemming, I cannot stand it.

From Mary Barton by Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn

She was young, and had not yet learned to bear "clemming."

From Mary Barton by Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn

Hamper's—that's where I worked—makes their men pledge 'emselves they'll not give a penny to help th' Union or keep turnouts fro' clemming.

From North and South by Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn