From Middle English *slammen (not recorded), apparently from a Scandinavian source ultimately from Old Norse slæma, slœma (“to slam, swing a weapon, strike an object out of reach”), related to Old Norse slamra, slambra (“to slam”). Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål slamre (“to slam”), Swedish slamra (“to pound, beat, make a clatter, rattle”), Norwegian Nynorsk slamra (“to sway, dangle”).
Meanings
(countable) A sudden impact or blow.
How many slams in an old screen door? / Depends how loud you shut it. 1981, Shel Silverstein, “How Many, How Much”, in A Light in the Attic, Harper & Row:
(countable) The shock and noise produced by violently closing a door or other object.
The slam and the scowl were lost upon Sam. 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 35, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:
(countable) A slam dunk.
(countable) One of the competitions of the yearly Grand Slam events.
(US, colloquial, countable) An insult.
“Well,” I says, “I cal'late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
I don't mean this as a slam, but you can be really impatient sometimes.
(UK, dialectal, uncountable) The yellow iron silicate produced in alum works as a waste product.
(countable, uncountable) A poetry slam.
(countable, uncountable) A slambook.
Regular friendship books had a variety of variations, such as slams, crams, and decos. 2017, Mark Duffett, Fan Identities and Practices in Context: Dedicated to Music, page 194:
Pen pals also make and pass around friendship books, slams and crams. In recent years, pen pal correspondence with prison inmates has gained acceptance on the Internet. 2019, Manjit Bal, Lovingly Yours - Penpals:
(uncountable) A subgenre of death metal with elements of hardcore punk focusing on midtempo rhythms, breakdowns and palm-muted riffs.
tr içiden çarpılma (slam dunk) · sv slag (sudden impact or blow) · fi loukkaus (insult) · fi läjähdys (shock and noise produced by slamming) · tr güm (shock and noise produced by slamming) · pl bluzg (insult) · fi pamahdus (shock and noise produced by slamming) · sv smäll (shock and noise produced by slamming) · sv duns (sudden impact or blow) · ru хлопание (sudden impact or blow) · fi läimäys (shock and noise produced by slamming) · fr clac (sudden impact or blow) · fi donkkaus (slam dunk) · sv duns (shock and noise produced by slamming) · tr hız ve gürültü ile yere çalma (sudden impact or blow) · bg трясък (shock and noise produced by slamming) · tr çarpma (sudden impact or blow) · bg блъскане (sudden impact or blow) · bg забиване (slam dunk) · fi läjähdys (sudden impact or blow) · ca esmaixada (slam dunk) · sv skräll (shock and noise produced by slamming) · fr claquement (sudden impact or blow) · fi kuona (refuse of alum works) · fr clac (shock and noise produced by slamming) · th คำดูถูก (insult) · ru оскорбление (insult) · fi läimäys (sudden impact or blow) · sv skräll (sudden impact or blow)
From Middle English *slammen (not recorded), apparently from a Scandinavian source ultimately from Old Norse slæma, slœma (“to slam, swing a weapon, strike an object out of reach”), related to Old Norse slamra, slambra (“to slam”). Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål slamre (“to slam”), Swedish slamra (“to pound, beat, make a clatter, rattle”), Norwegian Nynorsk slamra (“to sway, dangle”).
Meanings
(ergative, transitive) To shut with sudden force so as to produce a shock and noise.
Don't slam the door!
Britain’s borders: wide open to Covid, slammed shut for people in need [title] 2021 May 19, George Monbiot, “Britain’s borders: wide open to Covid, slammed shut for people in need”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
(ergative, transitive) To put in or on a particular place with force and loud noise. (Often followed by a preposition such as down, against or into.)
Don't slam that trunk down on the pavement!
The New South Wales police commissioner has defended the officer who was filmed slamming an Indigenous boy face-first on to a pavement in Sydney, saying the officer “had a bad day”. 2020 June 3, Michael McGowan, “NSW police commissioner says officer who slammed Indigenous teen to ground ‘had a bad day’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
(ambitransitive) To strike forcefully with some implement.
But Wolves went in front when Steven Fletcher headed in Stephen Hunt's cross and it was 2-0 when Geoffrey Mujangi Bia slammed in his first for the club. 2011 January 18, “Wolverhampton 5 - 0 Doncaster”, in BBC:
(intransitive) To strike against suddenly and heavily.
The 6-ton fishing boat Kuanghua 15638 was slammed by the communist vessel near the Liuchuan reefs off the coast of Chukuang and drifted toward Nanchu after the collision. 1978 January 5 [1977 December 30], “PRC Vessel Collides with ROC Fishing Boat off Matsu”, in Daily Report: Asia & Pacific, volume IV, number 3, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, →ISSN, →OCLC, page B 2:
The boat slammed into the bank and we were almost thrown into the river.
Seven people were killed and 66 injured after a High Speed Train slammed into a stationary vehicle that had been parked across the main line by a suicidal driver. 2021 February 24, Paul Stephen, “Level crossings are one of our key risk areas”, in RAIL, number 925, page 46:
(slang, transitive) To strike and take the life of or at least incapacitate for some time.
They want me nicked, they want me slammed
Fuckin' snitch had me on remand 2020 April 15, Tremz, “Lightwork Freestyle”:
(slang, transitive) To defeat or overcome in a match.
The Armenian football team has slammed the Turks 6–0.
(colloquial, transitive) To speak badly of; to criticize forcefully.
For years we have kept our mouths shut about Rita Mae, always reluctant to slam one of our own, particularly one who used to be pretty good. 1988 December 11, Susana Darwin, “Keep Editing, Rita Mae”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 22, page 8:
He continued to slam the “stupid” and “foolish” Republicans who have fallen for the Epstein “hoax” while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office later Wednesday morning, as he and other administration officials were meeting with the leader of Bahrain. 2025 July 16, Ryan Bort and Asawin Suebsaeng, “Trump calls Epstein conspiracy a ‘hoax’ and turns on Maga ‘weaklings’”, in Rolling Stone:
Roger Stone slammed Ivanka Trump after not getting pardoned, video shows[.] Republican operative calls Trump an ‘abortionist bitch’ in video released by film-maker who provided footage to January 6 panel[.] 2022 October 15, Martin Pengelly, “Roger Stone slammed Ivanka Trump after not getting pardoned, video shows”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Critics slammed the new film, calling it violent and meaningless.
On Twitter, United We Dream, an immigrant youth-led rights group, slammed Biden’s new policy “a racist and classist attack” on migrants. 2023 January 8, Edwin Rios, “Biden’s ‘carrot and stick’ approach to deter migrants met with anger”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Don't ever slam me in front of the boss like that again!
Union leaders slammed the new proposals.
To compete in a poetry slam.
(intransitive) To slam-dance.
To dunk forcefully, to slam dunk.
(transitive) To move a customer from one service provider to another without their consent.
(transitive) To drink off, to drink quickly.
17 slam some go juice Big project this afternoon? In stressful situations, glucose-rich drinks improve mood and mental performance, say Dutch researchers. 2008 January–February, “70 Ways to Improve Every Day of the Week”, in Men's Health, volume 23, number 1, →ISSN, page 134:
(ambitransitive, slang) To inject intravenously; shoot up.
I mentioned earlier how many people will draw lines in the sand that they'll never cross: some won't try Tina, others will never slam. 2017, James Wharton, Something for the Weekend, Biteback Publishing, →ISBN:
(slang, transitive, vulgar) To perform coitus upon forcefully; to rail.
Your bird's textin' me
'Tremzy is the man,'
You be tryna call her but she's busy gettin' slammed
The way she's gettin' doggied you would think she's tryna dance 2015, Tremz, “Sketty Bums Get Wild”:
(US, informal) To occupy and busy with a high workload.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:slam. And Citations:slammed.
(intransitive) Of a chaffinch: to produce a certain forceful trilling sound.
Slamming was formerly disregarded, not being considered a good property, as birds singing their natural note (those caught after moulting in the fields) were distinctly designated rough slamming birds. 1860, Dwight's Journal of Music: A Paper of Art and Literature, page 316:
ru хло́пать (to shut with sudden force and noise) · ga plab (to put with force and loud noise) · fi haukkua (to speak badly of) · sv slå igen (to shut with sudden force and noise) · tr veryansın etmek (to speak badly of) · es dejar caer (to put with force and loud noise) · da slå til (to shut with sudden force and noise) · ro trânti (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi puhdistaa pöytä (card games: to defeat by winning all the tricks) · izh jyryttää (to shut with sudden force and noise) · tr çarpmak (to shut with sudden force and noise) · es tirar (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi iskeä (to strike forcefully with some implement) · fi haukkua pataluhaksi (to speak badly of) · sv baktala (to speak badly of) · fr descendre (to speak badly of) · ru разноси́ть (to speak badly of) · tr sövmek (to speak badly of) · fi slammata (card games: to defeat by winning all the tricks) · fi paiskata (to shut with sudden force and noise) · es cerrar de golpe (to shut with sudden force and noise) · sv släppa (to put with force and loud noise) · nrf cliatchi (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi läimäyttää (to put with force and loud noise) · bg хлопвам (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi panetella (to speak badly of) · no slå til (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi donkata (basketball: to dunk forcefully) · ja ばたんと閉める (to shut with sudden force and noise) · bg блъскам (to put with force and loud noise) · tr bağırıp çağırmak (to speak badly of) · fr smasher (basketball: to dunk forcefully) · de ausschimpfen (to speak badly of) · fi läimäyttää (to shut with sudden force and noise) · bg правя капо (card games: to defeat by winning all the tricks) · sv slå ner på (to speak badly of) · es azotar (to put with force and loud noise) · bg обявявам шлем (bridge: to make a slam bid) · fi mojauttaa (to strike forcefully with some implement) · fr claquer (to shut with sudden force and noise) · tr batırmak (basketball: to dunk forcefully) · fr dire du mal (to speak badly of) · bg затръшвам (to shut with sudden force and noise) · mi āki (to shut with sudden force and noise) · de zuschlagen (to shut with sudden force and noise) · nl toeslaan (to shut with sudden force and noise) · hu becsap (to shut with sudden force and noise) · ga plab (to shut with sudden force and noise) · ca tancar de cop (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi slammata (bridge: to make a slam bid) · cy clepian (to shut with sudden force and noise) · hu bevág (to shut with sudden force and noise) · tr yere çarpmak (to put with force and loud noise) · fi kulauttaa (to drink off, quickly) · fr faire cul sec (to drink off, quickly) · cmn 甩 (to shut with sudden force and noise) · tr yere çalmak (to strike forcefully with some implement) · sv slå (to put with force and loud noise) · fr incendier (to speak badly of) · mi āki (to put with force and loud noise) · es derramar ponzoña (to speak badly of) · cmn 甩上 (to shut with sudden force and noise) · es azotar (to strike forcefully with some implement) · fr critiquer (to speak badly of) · es cerrar de un golpe (to shut with sudden force and noise) · sv dunka (to strike forcefully with some implement) · es dar un portazo (to shut with sudden force and noise) · pl trzasnąć (to shut with sudden force and noise) · ru хло́пнуть (to shut with sudden force and noise) · es calumniar (to speak badly of) · fr boire cul sec (to drink off, quickly) · de zuknallen (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fi läimäyttää (to strike forcefully with some implement) · bg забивам (basketball: to dunk forcefully) · pl trzaskać (to shut with sudden force and noise) · kok धाडंव्चे (to put with force and loud noise) · ca esmaixar (basketball: to dunk forcefully) · tr yere çalmak (to put with force and loud noise) · tr ağzına çalmak (to speak badly of) · sv slå (to strike forcefully with some implement) · es azotar (to shut with sudden force and noise) · fr slammer (to compete in a poetry slam)
Unknown and long-speculated, though perhaps at least reinforced by Etymology 1. Doublet of chelem.
Meanings
(obsolete, uncountable) A type of card game, also called ruff and honours.
(countable, uncountable) A card game, played all at once without separate turns, in which players attempt to get rid of their cards as quickly as possible according to certain rules.
(countable) Losing or winning all the tricks in a game.
(countable) A bid of six (small slam) or seven (grand slam) in a suit or no trump.
(countable) Winning all (or all but one) of the available, major or specified events in a given year or sports season.
I have never been a fan of tennis, I'll be honest, but even I can appreciate a great tennis player when I see one, and one of the finest of all was the American champion, Andre Agassi. Agassi was at one time number one in the world. He won eight grand slam titles (including a Wimbledon title) and a gold medal in the Olympic Games. 2012, Mark Stibbe, I am Your Father: What every heart needs to know, →ISBN, page 178:
In the 125 Grand Prix, I. D. Fuller (4) made it a grand slam by setting the fastest time trial, winning his heat and getting the checkered flag in the final. 1955 August, “Carolina Grand Prix Benefits Crippled Children”, in American Motorcyclist, volume 9, number 8, page 21:
Musso then passed Collins and, only briefly, it looked as though there might be a Ferrari grand slam. 2014, Anthony Pritchard, Grand Prix Ferrari: The Years of Enzo Ferrari’s Power, 1948-1980, →ISBN:
fr chelem (bid of six (small slam) or seven (grand slam) in a suit or no trump) · pl szlem (bid of six (small slam) or seven (grand slam) in a suit or no trump)