ShowAnimal Kingdom

Words, phrases, expressions, idioms, and other linguistic and dialect features from the non-human world of creatures and critters. Animals, pets, fish, insects, and more.

Clam, a Musical Mistake

Ian in Jacksonville, Florida, wonders about why musicians use the word clam to mean “a mistake” or “an egregious musical error,” as in There are a lot of clams in there or We need to practice where the clams are regarding a...