slam

¹

[slam]

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.

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

[slam]

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.

slam

¹

/ 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

noun

1. the act or noise of slamming

2. slang,  harsh criticism or abuse

slam

²

/ 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

slam

³

/ slæm /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• unslammed adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of slam¹

C17: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse slamra, Norwegian slemma, Swedish dialect slämma

Origin of slam²

C17: of uncertain origin

Origin of slam³

C20: origin unknown

Example Sentences

As the inmate sits up, visibly wounded, an officer puts on a surgical glove and grabs him again by the collar and, with the help of a colleague, slams him against a wall.

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California Republicans, including former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, have slammed the initiative as a “big scam.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Marc Marquez was crowned world champion in Japan, but is not in Australia after Bezzecchi slammed into him in Indonesia, an incident that left the Spaniard needing shoulder surgery.

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Center Jaxson Hayes, who slammed three monstrous dunks in the first half, didn’t play the second half because of a right wrist contusion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Netanyahu described it as an "anti-Semitic decision" and the then US president Joe Biden slammed it as "outrageous".

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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