grand slam

[ grand slam ]

noun

1. Bridge. the winning of all thirteen tricks of a deal. Compare little slam.
2. Also grand-slammer. Baseball. a home run with three runners on base.
3. Sports. the winning by a single player of several designated major championship contests in one season, as in golf or tennis.
4. any sweeping success or total victory.

grand slam

noun

1. bridge the winning of 13 tricks by one player or side or the contract to do so
2. tennis golf
   1. the winning of all major competitions in a season, esp in tennis and golf
   2. one of the 4 major competitions in a season in tennis
3. often capital rugby Union the winning of all five games in the annual Six Nations Championship involving England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy Compare triple crown

Word History and Origins

Origin of grand slam¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Idioms and Phrases

A sweeping success or total victory, as in This presentation gave us a grand slam—every buyer placed an order . This term originated in the early 1800s in the card game of whist (forerunner of contract bridge), where it refers to the taking of all thirteen tricks. It later was extended to bridge and various sports, where it has different meanings: in baseball, a home run hit with runners on all the bases, resulting in four runs for the team; in tennis, winning all four national championships in a single calendar year; in golf, winning all four major championships. In the 1990s the term was used for four related proposals presented on a ballot at once.

Example Sentences

The series, which was unveiled this week, is modeled after tennis’ four grand slam events and will open in Kingston, Jamaica, in early April.

From Los Angeles Times

And his voice call on the Freeman walk-off grand slam and the Walker Buehler final strike will forever be indelibly stamped in the Dodger history of success and achievement.

From Los Angeles Times

The day after the grand slam, Freeman was offered a glimpse of his future.

From Los Angeles Times

Langill works fast: The jersey Freeman wore when he hit the iconic Game 1 grand slam was already framed and hanging in a Dodger Stadium hallway during Game 2 the next day.

From Los Angeles Times

Playing through a serious ankle injury that limited his availability earlier in the playoffs, Freeman became the first player to hit a walk-off grand slam in the World Series.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accomplishment
• achievement
• advance
• benefit
• boom
• fame
• gain
• happiness
• profit
• progress
• prosperity
• realization
• triumph
• victory
• win