# slot

/ˈsɫɑt/ (US) · /slˈɒt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slot
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. narrow opening

noun · CEFR B1

a long, narrow hole that you put something into, like a coin in a machine.

For teachers: a narrow aperture or perforation designed to receive a corresponding part or a coin.

- He dropped a few coins into the slot and waited for the machine to start.
- The technician carefully aligned the memory card with the internal slot before applying gentle pressure to secure it.

### 2. scheduled time

noun · CEFR B2

a specific time when something is planned to happen in a schedule.

For teachers: an allocated period of time within a schedule or sequence.

- The band has a thirty-minute slot at the music festival this afternoon.
- The talk show host struggled to find a suitable time slot for the interview given the politician's demanding campaign schedule.

### 3. aviation timing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a specific time given to a plane for taking off or landing.

For teachers: the specific time window allocated for an aircraft's departure or arrival at an airport.

- The pilot warned that if they missed their takeoff slot, they would be delayed for hours.
- Due to heavy fog over the channel, several international flights missed their arrival slots, causing significant congestion at the terminal.

### 4. gambling machine

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a machine in a casino that you play by putting money in a hole.

For teachers: a coin-operated gambling machine that pays out based on the alignment of symbols on rotating reels.

- She spent the evening playing the slots at the casino but didn't win much.
- The casino floor was filled with the mechanical ringing of slots as tourists tried their luck at the jackpot.

### 5. to fit into a space

verb · CEFR B2

to put something into a narrow space or a schedule.

For teachers: to place or fit something into a designated aperture or a specific position in a sequence.

- You can slot the new battery into the back of the camera.
- The manager managed to slot the extra training session into the Tuesday afternoon programme without cancelling any existing meetings.

### 6. to score a goal

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English

to kick or hit a ball accurately into a goal.

For teachers: to successfully score a goal by placing the ball accurately into the net or between posts.

- He managed to slot the ball into the corner of the net in the final minute.
- The striker showed remarkable composure as he slotted the penalty home, securing a vital victory for his team.

## Examples

- Please drop the coin into the slot.
- The doctor has one available time slot left at three o'clock this afternoon.
- The marketing team secured a prime advertising slot during the championship game to ensure maximum visibility for their new product launch.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.