Slam Meaning
/ˈslæm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo shut with sudden force so as to produce a shock and noise.
verbTo put in or on a particular place with force and loud noise. (Often followed by a preposition such as down, against or into.)
Sentence Examples
Don't slam the door.
I heard the front door slam.
I heard the door slam behind him.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Frustrated by the argument, she angrily ____ the door with a loud bang.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wind was so strong that it caused the front door to ____ shut with a loud bang.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Frustrated by the argument, she angrily ____ the door with a loud bang.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The wind was so strong that it caused the front door to ____ shut with a loud bang.