bam

interjection

1. 1

   Representing a loud noise or heavy impact.

   The wind knocked the tree over last night. Bam! It nearly scared me to death.

   We all looked up from the maps, silent, and listened to the hurried footsteps in the entryway. They padded up the red carpet, bam-bam-bam, and across the landing and then up the next flight at a gallop, bam-bam-bam.

2. 2

   Representing a sudden or abrupt occurrence.

   She said she dumped him. Now — bam! — they're back together.

noun

1. 1

   slangA ned; a bampot.

noun

1. 1

   archaicAn imposition; a cheat; a hoax.

   To relieve the tedium he kept plying them with all manner of bams.

verb

1. 1

   archaicTo impose on (someone) by a falsehood; to cheat.

   This is some conspiracy, I suppose, to bam, to chouse me out of my money

   I’ll break a lamp, bully a constable, bam a justice, or bilk a boxkeeper with any man in the liberties of Westminster.

2. 2

   archaicTo jeer or make fun of.

noun

1. 1

   Variant of bare-arse minimumAbbreviation of bare-arse minimum.

Forms

plural

bams

past tense

bammed

past participle

bammed

present participle

bamming

third person singular

bams