Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
small slam

small slam

9.2
A bridge result when players win all but one trick in a hand
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : pequeño slam
  • They needed a small slam to win the tournament, but ended up taking only eleven tricks.

Examples

  • She bid confidently, hoping for a small slam despite her partner's weak hand.

  • If you make a small slam in spades, you score a significant bonus.

  • The team achieved a small slam in the last round.

  • Did you see that small slam they played?

  • If you manage to score a small slam in bridge, you will earn a valuable bonus.

  • He was ecstatic after achieving a small slam during their last game of bridge.

  • To win the match, they needed to secure a small slam and prevent their opponents from scoring.

Synonyms

slam
vssmall slam
  • Jargon
45 7.4

A bid in bridge to win all or almost all tricks

means the achievement of winning all but one trick rather than the bid
sweep
vssmall slam
  • Jargon
7 7.7

A win in a card game where one side wins every trick

refers specifically to winning all but one trick rather than all tricks
little slam
vssmall slam
  • Jargon
8.9

A bridge contract that wins twelve of the thirteen tricks

is identical in meaning but differs only in wording

How Complete

grand slam
  • Jargon
4 6.6
small slam
  • Jargon
9.2

Surface Forms

small slam singular
small slams plural

Morphology

small + slam

The noun 'slam' is technical game jargon meaning a contract to win all tricks, and 'small' straightforwardly signals a lesser or reduced version of that. A B1 learner who knows both words could therefore infer it refers to a smaller/partial slam, but the precise conventional meaning ('all but one trick') is domain-specific and not fully predictable from the words alone.

Etymology

Small slam is a card-game term from bridge where slam meant a very big win and small shows it is almost complete. Imagine slamming your cards down after you 'take all but one trick' — a small slam today means winning twelve of the thirteen tricks and earns a large bonus.