slam

1
[ slam ]
See synonyms for slam on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with or without object),slammed, slam·ming.
  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.

  1. 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.

  1. Usually the slam .Slang. slammer (def. 2).

  2. Informal. a harsh criticism; verbal attack: I am sick of your slams.

  3. 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 slam

1
First recorded in 1650–60; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish slamra “to bang (a door), slam”

Other words from slam

  • un·slammed, adjective

Other definitions for slam (2 of 2)

slam2
[ slam ]

nounCards.
  1. the winning or bidding of all the tricks or all the tricks but one in a deal.: Compare grand slam (def. 1), little slam.

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

Origin of slam

2
First recorded in 1660–70; perhaps special use of slam1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use slam in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for slam (1 of 3)

slam1

/ (slæm) /


verbslams, slamming or slammed
  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

  1. (tr) slang to criticize harshly

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

  3. (tr) to strike with violent force

  4. (tr) informal to defeat easily

noun
  1. the act or noise of slamming

  2. slang harsh criticism or abuse

Origin of slam

1
C17: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse slamra, Norwegian slemma, Swedish dialect slämma

British Dictionary definitions for slam (2 of 3)

slam2

/ (slæm) /


noun
    • 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 bridge: See grand slam, little slam

  1. an old card game

Origin of slam

2
C17: of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for slam (3 of 3)

slam3

/ (slæm) /


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

Origin of slam

3
C20: origin unknown

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012