slam

¹ American  

[slam] / slæm /

verb (used with or without object)

slammed, slamming

1. to shut with force and noise.

   to slam the door.

2. to dash, strike, knock, thrust, throw, slap down, etc., with violent and noisy impact.

   He slammed his books upon the table.

3. Informal. to criticize harshly; attack verbally.

   He slammed my taste mercilessly.

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noun

1. a violent and noisy closing, dashing, or impact.

2. the noise so made.

3. Slang. Usually the slam slammer.

4. Informal. a harsh criticism; verbal attack.

   I am sick of your slams.

5. Informal.

   1. Also called poetry slam.  a competitive, usually boisterous poetry reading.

   2. a usually competitive performance involving multiple performers with short acts: a tap dance slam.

      puppet slams;

      a tap dance slam.

slam ² American  

[slam] / slæm /

noun

Cards.

1. the winning or bidding of all the tricks or all the tricks but one in a deal.

2. an old type of card game associated with ruff.

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slam ¹ British  

/ slæm /

verb

1. to cause (a door or window) to close noisily and with force or (of a door, etc) to close in this way

2. (tr) to throw (something) down noisily and violently

3. slang (tr) to criticize harshly

4. informal (intr; usually foll by into or out of) to go (into or out of a room, etc) in violent haste or anger

5. (tr) to strike with violent force

6. informal (tr) to defeat easily

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noun

1. the act or noise of slamming

2. slang harsh criticism or abuse

slam ² British  

/ slæm /

noun

1. 1. the winning of all (grand slam) or all but one (little slam or small slam) of the 13 tricks at bridge or whist

   2. the bid to do so in bridge See grand slam little slam

2. an old card game

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slam ³ British  

/ slæm /

noun

1. a poetry contest in which entrants compete with each other by reciting their work and are awarded points by the audience

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Other Word Forms

• unslammed adjective

Etymology

Origin of slam¹

First recorded in 1650–60; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish slamra “to bang (a door), slam”

Origin of slam²

First recorded in 1660–70; perhaps special use of slam ¹

Example Sentences

This case, which was fast-tracked through the court system as an emergency, slams the door on one such expansive use of presidential authority.

From BBC

Vonn lost control on the first jump as her pole hit a gate, spun sideways in the air and slammed to the ground.

From Los Angeles Times

The severe winter storm that slammed into the area early this week had been predicted long before the trip began.

From Los Angeles Times

Figure skating officials slammed the door on future 15-year-old prodigies, instituting a minimum age requirement of 17 for senior competition.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's fine if you're at the top and winning slams week in, week out," Wright adds.

From BBC

Related Words

• bang
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belt
• blast
• crash
• dash
• fling
• hit
• hurl
• knock
• slap
• smash
• strike
• swat