[Perh. onomatopœic; cf. clash, clang, slam: it suggests less notion of ringing and more of crash than clang. But cf. CLAMOUR v.2] The crash caused by ringing two or more bells of a peal together.
1702. J. D. & C. M., Campanalogia Improved, 16. By the Bells standing too long in leading Compass, the rest are thrown and jumbled together; whereby Claps and Clams (so unpleasing to the Hearers) are occasion’d.
a. 1789. Burney, Hist. Mus. (ed. 2), III. vii. 413. Even the clams or the collision of two bells together in counterpoint, has been settled by ringers without the least knowledge of harmony.
1822–76. Nares, s.v. Clamour, The bells … are all pulled off at once, and give a general crash or clam, by which the peal is concluded … this clam is succeeded by a silence.
