clammy

Everyday

1. Unpleasantly damp, cold and sticky to touch, especially skin. tree →
2. (weather) Damp and heavy, warm and sticky (clammy air). tree →

In the lessons

In stories it shows fear or nerves — «clammy hands» before a test or a scary moment. In health and first-aid lessons, clammy pale skin can be a sign that someone is unwell or in shock, so tell an adult. In weather descriptions it means humid. It tells the reader about an unpleasant damp feeling.

Examples

• My hands were clammy before the spelling test. tree →
• The cave walls felt cold and clammy. tree →
• It was a clammy, muggy day in August. tree →
• His forehead was pale and clammy, so the teacher called the nurse. tree →
• The frog felt clammy in my hands. tree →
• Wet socks are horribly clammy. tree →
• I felt it; it felt clammy. tree →

Note

Comparative clammier, superlative clammiest. Not the same as «clumsy». In first aid, pale, cold and clammy skin with dizziness can be a warning sign — get an adult or call for help.