Library / English Dictionary

SLAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: slammed    , slamming   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect

Example:

she takes a dig at me every chance she gets

Synonyms:

barb; dig; gibe; jibe; shaft; shot; slam

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("slam" is a kind of...):

comment; input; remark (a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "slam"):

cheap shot (an unnecessarily aggressive and unfair remark directed at a defenseless person)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A forceful impact that makes a loud noise

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("slam" is a kind of...):

impact (the striking of one body against another)

Derivation:

slam (strike violently)

slam (throw violently)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The noise made by the forceful impact of two objects

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("slam" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

Derivation:

slam (close violently)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

Synonyms:

slam; sweep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("slam" is a kind of...):

triumph; victory (a successful ending of a struggle or contest)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "slam"):

grand slam (winning all of the tricks in a hand of bridge)

little slam; small slam (winning all but one of the tricks in a hand of bridge)

Holonyms ("slam" is a part of...):

bridge (any of various card games based on whist for four players)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Strike violently

Example:

slam the ball

Synonyms:

bang; slam

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "slam" is one way to...):

hit (deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

slam (a forceful impact that makes a loud noise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Throw violently

Example:

He slammed the book on the table

Synonyms:

flap down; slam

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "slam" is one way to...):

throw (propel through the air)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

slam (a forceful impact that makes a loud noise)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Close violently

Example:

He slammed the door shut

Synonyms:

bang; slam

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "slam" is one way to...):

close; shut (move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They want to slam the doors

Derivation:

slam (the noise made by the forceful impact of two objects)

slammer (a person who closes things violently)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Dance the slam dance

Synonyms:

mosh; slam; slam dance; thrash

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "slam" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue slam

Credits

 Context examples: 

These auroral emissions are caused by particles that pick up energy, slamming into atmospheric molecules.

(First Science Results from NASA’s Juno Mission, NASA)

The two doors slammed at the same moment, and Weedon Scott waited for Matt to come around to the front.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The wind rushed in through the broken window, and the door slammed to.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Electrons and ions slam into the moon's surface with the intensity of a particle accelerator.

(NASA Research Reveals Europa's Mystery Dark Material Could Be Sea Salt, NASA)

In the lab, the group used infrared laser beam pulses to simulate the high-energy shockwaves created by asteroids slamming into the atmosphere.

(Asteroids, Hydrogen Make Great Recipe for Life on Mars, NASA)

So saying, he slammed a sack of gold dust of the size of a bologna sausage down upon the bar.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Either from the consciousness, however, that his friend had recovered, or from other consciousness, he went no farther; and Anne who, in spite of the agitated voice in which the latter part had been uttered, and in spite of all the various noises of the room, the almost ceaseless slam of the door, and ceaseless buzz of persons walking through, had distinguished every word, was struck, gratified, confused, and beginning to breathe very quick, and feel an hundred things in a moment.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

When the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs slammed into the planet, the impact set wildfires, triggered tsunamis and blasted so much sulfur into the atmosphere that it blocked the sun, which caused the global cooling that ultimately doomed the dinos.

(Rocks at asteroid impact site record first day of dinosaur extinction, National Science Foundation)

Tom, however, had no mind for such treatment: he came home not to stand and be talked to, but to run about and make a noise; and both boys had soon burst from her, and slammed the parlour-door till her temples ached.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

A red-faced man, slamming the cabin door behind him and stumping out on the deck, interrupted my reflections, though I made a mental note of the topic for use in a projected essay which I had thought of calling The Necessity for Freedom: A Plea for the Artist.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)