slam1
- to shut with force and noise: to slam the door.
- to dash, strike, knock, thrust, throw, slap down, etc., with violent and noisy impact: He slammed his books upon the table.
- Informal. to criticize harshly; attack verbally: He slammed my taste mercilessly.
- a violent and noisy closing, dashing, or impact.
- the noise so made.
- Usually the slam. Slang. slammer(def 2).
- Informal. a harsh criticism; verbal attack: I am sick of your slams.
- Informal.
- Also called poetry slam.a competitive, usually boisterous poetry reading.
- a usually competitive performance involving multiple performers with short acts: puppet slams; a tap dance slam.
Origin of slam1
slam1
- to cause (a door or window) to close noisily and with force or (of a door, etc) to close in this way
- (tr) to throw (something) down noisily and violently
- (tr) slang to criticize harshly
- (intr; usually foll by into or out of) informal to go (into or out of a room, etc) in violent haste or anger
- (tr) to strike with violent force
- (tr) informal to defeat easily
- the act or noise of slamming
- slang harsh criticism or abuse
Word Origin
slam2
- the winning of all (grand slam) or all but one (little slam or small slam) of the 13 tricks at bridge or whist
- the bid to do so in bridgeSee grand slam, little slam
- an old card game
Word Origin
slam3
- a poetry contest in which entrants compete with each other by reciting their work and are awarded points by the audience
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for poetry slam
slam
n.1
1670s, "a severe blow," probably from a Scandinavian source (cf. Norwegian slamre, Swedish slemma "to slam, bang") of imitative origin. Meaning "a violent closing of a door" is from 1817. Meaning "an insult, put-down" is from 1884. Slam-bang recorded by 1806 (also slap-bang, 1785). Slam-dunk is from 1976; early use often in reference to Julius Erving. Slam-dance is attested by 1987 (slam by itself in this sense is recorded from 1983).
slam
n.2
"a winning of all tricks in a card game," 1660s, earlier the name of a card game (also called ruff), 1620s, used especially in whist, of obscure origin. Grand slam in bridge first recorded 1892; earlier in related card games from 1814; figurative sense of "complete success" is attested from 1920; in baseball sense from 1935.
slam
v.
1690s, "to beat, slap;" 1775 as "to shut with force," from slam (n.1). Meaning "throw or push with force" is from 1870. Meaning "say uncomplimentary things about" is from 1916. Related: Slammed; slamming.