Definition

Noun: A type of slot machine used for gambling, traditionally operated by pulling a lever on its side. The name humorously refers to the machine's single lever (resembling an arm) and its tendency to take players' money (acting like a bandit or thief).

Usage

This term is used specifically to refer to a gambling machine where players insert money and pull a lever or push a button to spin reels, hoping for a winning combination of symbols. It is a colorful, informal synonym for "slot machine."

Examples

• The casino floor was filled with the sounds of one-armed bandits.
• He lost twenty dollars in ten minutes on the one-armed bandit in the corner.
• Modern video slots have mostly replaced the classic one-armed bandit.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a historical or nostalgic context to refer to older mechanical slot machines with a physical lever, distinguishing them from modern electronic video slots.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe any device or system that consistently takes money from people with little return.

Variants and Related Words

• Slot machine (n): The more common and neutral term for the same device.
• Fruit machine (n): A common British term for a slot machine, often featuring fruit symbols.
• Poker machine / Pokie (n): Terms used primarily in Australia and New Zealand.

Synonyms

• Slot machine
• Gaming machine (formal)

Related Idioms

• To feed the one-armed bandit: To repeatedly put money into a slot machine.
  • He spent the afternoon feeding the one-armed bandit at the local bar.

Noun

1. a slot machine that is used for gambling
   • they spend hours and hours just playing the slots