body slam

noun

variants or less commonly body-slam

plural body slams also body-slams

: a wrestling throw in which the opponent's body is lifted and brought down hard to the mat

Showing immense strength, Halsey threw his 185-pound opponent on his back a couple of times, setting up his submission with a body slam that drew a gasp from the crowd.

—John Spencer, Mansfield (Ohio) News Journal, 20 Nov. 2012

—sometimes used figuratively

Rebuilding is part of the American spirit. We are not a nation of quitters who turn and run after Mother Nature delivers a body slam.

—editorial, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11 Sept. 2005

… the overall markets, which have taken a full-bore postelection body slam in recent days, starting with the Dow plunging more than 300 points the day following President Barack Obama's victory at the polls.

—Patrick May, Contra Costa Times (California), 15 Nov. 2012

body-slam transitive verb

body-slammed; body-slamming; body-slams

… a game that saw linebacker James Harrison body-slam a Browns fan who ran onto the field.

—Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated, 15 Sept. 2008

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!