clam·shell

[klam-shel]
noun
1.
the shell of a clam.
2.
Machinery.
a.
Also called clamshell bucket. a dredging bucket opening at the bottom, consisting of two similar pieces hinged together at the top.
b.
a machine equipped with such a bucket.
3.
Printing. a platen press.

Origin:
1490–1500; earlier clam-shell; see clam1, shell

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
clamshell (ˈklæmˌʃɛl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  chiefly (US) a dredging bucket that is hinged like the shell of a clam
2.  aeronautics
 a.  an aircraft cockpit canopy hinged at the front and rear
 b.  the hinged door of a cargo aircraft
 c.  another name for eyelid
3.  any of a variety of objects hinged like the shell of a clam, such as a container for takeaway food, a portable computer, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Clamshell is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Example sentences
The use of clamshell bucket dredging and transfer by bottom-release scow
  maintains much of the integrity of the sediments.
The asymmetric tailgate operates as an easy-open clamshell for the top half and
  a standard tailgate for the bottom half.
Dredging will be conducted using backhoe-mounted, hydraulically closing
  environmental clamshell mechanical dredges.
The clamshell design offers great game play, and you can use wi-fi to compete
  against your pals.
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