Origin
From Middle English clum, clom (“silence”), perhaps for *clomen (“stiff, numb”), past participle of *cleomen ("to be stiff"; compare Middle English acleomen (“to be stiff”)), related to Middle English clumsen, clomsen (“to be stiff, be numb”), Dutch kleumen (“to be stiff from cold”); or perhaps representing Old English clom, clam, clamm (“band, bond, fetter, chain, grip, grasp”). Compare also Old English clumian (“to mutter”). More at clam.
