dunk

be a slam dunk

To be predicted or expected to be successful; to be something that achieves success or a certain goal easily. All the best players in school are on our team—victory will be a slam dunk! I thought it would be a slam dunk to pass, but the bill didn't even make it out of committee. Have you dealt with the school board before? No decision is ever a slam dunk.

See also: dunk, slam

dunk in(to) (something)

1. To submerge quickly into a body of liquid. I dunked into the lake to rinse the muck off my body. The kids love dunking in the creek behind our house on hot summer days. It's so hot today that I had to dunk into the pool on my lunch break, just to cool off a little bit.

2. To push someone or something quickly into a liquid. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dunk" and "in(to)." Being nice to your little brother does not include dunking him into the pool, OK? I can't eat French fries without dunking them in ketchup first. They repeatedly dunked the prisoner's head into the tub of water while yelling at him to confess.

3. To slam a basketball through a basket from above. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dunk" and "in(to)." He intercepted the other player's pass, dribbled the ball up the court, and dunked it effortlessly in the net. I've never been able to dunk a basketball into a basket. I just can't jump that high. As a kid, my dream was to dunk a basketball into the net. I thought I'd be much taller than am now!

4. To slam something into a basket or similar receptacle, in the manner of a basketball being dunked. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dunk" and "in(to)." A: "Did the boss like your proposal?" B: "Well, she took a look at it, crumpled the paper up into a ball, and dunked it in the trashcan beside her desk. So, no, he didn't like it." My brother dunked his dirty shirt into the hamper while lamenting to me about his fight with his girlfriend. One by one, the kids dunked their shoes into the bin as they entered the house.

See also: dunk

dunk on (someone)

slang To best someone in a spectacular fashion or in a way that is humiliating to them. In basketball, to "dunk on" a defender is to perform a slam dunk over them, a move often considered humiliating to the defender. The phrase is commonly used in a passive construction ("(one) got dunked on"). Here's the part of the debate where she really dunks on him by completely destroying his argument. You can't just tweet at this person and make fun of their opinion. If you really want to dunk on them, you have to correct their horrible grammar too. Everyone online is dunking on the actor for his ridiculous comments about aliens.

See also: dunk, on

get dunked on

slang To be bested by someone in a spectacular fashion or in a way that is humiliating to one. In basketball, to "dunk on" a defender is to perform a slam dunk over them, a move often considered humiliating to the defender. Here's the part of the debate where she really got dunked on—he totally destroys her argument! Sit down, son, you just got dunked on. That actor deserves to get dunked on for his ridiculous comments about aliens.

See also: dunk, get, on

slam dunk

1. noun Literally, a goal scored in basketball by putting the ball straight down into the hoop with one's hand. The move isn't worth more points than a traditional basket, but it is a show of force, dominance, and skill. Because of his incredible height, Sam racked up more slam dunks than any other player in the league.

2. noun By extension, a forceful, dramatic success or accomplishment, especially one that is completed handily or easily. This conviction was a slam dunk for the district attorney's office. Their latest smartphone is yet another slam dunk for the electronics manufacturer.

3. verb Literally, to score a slam dunk in basketball. Sometimes hyphenated. You need to stop trying to slam dunk every time you're near the net. She's been slam-dunking against the other team all evening.

4. verb By extension, to achieve a forceful, dramatic success or accomplishment handily or easily, often at the expense of someone or something else. Sometimes hyphenated. The incumbent president has slam dunked his opponent in every televised debate so far. If we can slam-dunk this proposal, we'll get enough funding to see us through to the end of next year.

See also: dunk, slam

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

dunk someone or something into something

 and dunk someone or something in

to submerge someone or something in something, fully or partially. They dunked him into the pool as a way of celebrating. Liz pulled the cup of coffee toward herself and dunked in her doughnut. She dunked herself into the cold water for just a minute.

See also: dunk

slam dunk

 

1. Lit. [in basketball] a goal scored by shooting the ball down from above the rim. He was wide open and scored on an easy slam dunk.

2. Fig. an action or accomplishment that is easily done. Finishing that project with all his experience should be a slam dunk for George.

See also: dunk, slam

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

slam dunk

A forceful, dramatic move, as in That indictment was a slam dunk if ever there was one. This expression is also often put as a verb, slam-dunk, meaning "make a forceful move against someone," as in This is a great chance for us to slam-dunk the opposition. The idiom comes from basketball, where it refers to a dramatic shot in which the ball is thrust into the basket from above the rim. It was transferred to other activities from about 1980 on.

See also: dunk, slam

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

be a ˈslam dunk

(American English) be something that is certain to be successful: The case looked like a slam dunk for the prosecution.

In basketball, a slam dunk is the act of jumping up and putting the ball through the net with a lot of force.

See also: dunk, slam

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

slam dunk

1. tv. & in. to force a basketball into the basket from above. (see also jam.) Wilbur slam dunked another one, raising the score from 108 to 110.

2. n. an act of making a basket as in sense 1 Another slam dunk and Wilbur ties the score again!

See also: dunk, slam

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

slam dunk

A very forceful move. This term comes from basketball, where it denotes a strong and often dramatic shot in which the player leaps up and thrusts the ball into the basket from above. Both term and technique date from the 1960s, and by the 1980s the term was being used in business, politics, and other areas, both as a noun and as a verb (to slam dunk). The Boston Globe has used it in both forms: “‘I fear they assume this election will be a slam dunk,’ Rollins said” (July 24, 1991), and “I found that very energizing. . . . There was a real opportunity to slam dunk that one” (May 5, 1992). It is well on its way to cliché status.

See also: dunk, slam

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer