Where does “clampdown” come from?

clampdown (English) comes from English down, from Middle English doune, from Old English dūne, from Old English adūne, from Old English ofdūne, from Old English dūn, from Proto-Germanic *dūnā, from Proto-Celtic dūnom — smoke; mist, haze.

clampdown (English): A sudden repressive or punitive restriction or...

Definitions

  1. A sudden repressive or punitive restriction or...

Ancestry of “clampdown”, step by step

clampdown traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English down

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdownFrom a higher position to a lower one; downwards;...
2Middle Englishdoune
3Old Englishdūnehill; down, downward
4Old Englishadūne
5Old Englishofdūneoff the hill; down
6Old Englishdūnhill, down; hill, dune; hill, mountain
7Proto-Germanic*dūnā
8Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

via English clamp

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclampA brace, band, or clasp for strengthening or...
2Middle Dutchclamp
3Proto-Germanicklampōclamp, clasp, cramp
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-