ham

¹

[ ham ]

noun

1. a cut of meat from the heavy-muscled part of a hog's rear quarter, between hip and hock, usually cured.
2. that part of a hog's hind leg.
3. the part of the leg back of the knee.
4. Often hams. the back of the thigh, or the thigh and the buttock together.

ham

²

[ ham ]

noun

1. an actor or performer who overacts.
2. an operator of an amateur radio station.

verb (used with or without object)

, hammed, ham·ming.

1. to act with exaggerated expression of emotion; overact.

Ham

³

[ ham ]

noun

1. (in the Bible) the second son of Noah.

HAM

⁴

or ham

[ ham ]

adverb

, Slang.

1. hard as a motherfucker: in an extremely high-energy manner; to an exceptional degree (a euphemistic acronym used as a description of intensity, without explicit vulgarity):

   Nothing can stop me from partying HAM this spring break!

ham

¹

/ hæm /

noun

1. informal.
   theatre
   1. an actor who overacts or relies on stock gestures or mannerisms
   2. overacting or clumsy acting
   3. ( as modifier )

      a ham actor

2. informal.
   1. a licensed amateur radio operator
   2. ( as modifier )

      a ham licence

verb

1. informal.
   to overact

ham

²

/ hæm /

noun

1. the part of the hindquarters of a pig or similar animal between the hock and the hip
2. the meat of this part, esp when salted or smoked
3. informal.
   1. the back of the leg above the knee
   2. the space or area behind the knee
4. needlework a cushion used for moulding curves

Ham

1. One of the three sons of Noah . According to the biblical account, Noah and his family were the only human survivors of the great Flood and were therefore the progenitors of all the peoples on Earth.

Notes

The “curse of Ham” refers to the biblical story in which Ham, seeing his father drunk and naked, refused to turn away as his two brothers did. When Noah awoke, he cursed Ham and his son Canaan, supposedly causing a darker pigmentation in their descendants. This so-called curse has often been wrongly used to justify racism .

Egypt (see also Egypt ) was traditionally called “the Land of Ham,” and Ham was considered to be the ancestor of the Egyptians and of all African peoples south of Egypt.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ham¹

before 1000; Middle English hamme, Old English hamm bend of the knee; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German hamme, Old High German hamma; akin to Old Norse hǫm buttock; perhaps akin to Greek knḗmē shin, Old Irish cnáim bone

Origin of ham²

First recorded in 1880–85; short for hamfatter, after The Hamfat Man, a Black minstrel song celebrating an awkward man

Origin of ham³

From its use in digital communications

Word History and Origins

Origin of ham¹

C19: special use of ham ¹; in some senses probably influenced by amateur

Origin of ham²

Old English hamm; related to Old High German hamma haunch, Old Irish cnāim bone, camm bent, Latin camur bent

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go HAM, Slang. to exhibit optimal energy or enthusiasm; to make a great effort:

   The team went HAM on the final play and mowed down the defense.

2. ham it up, to overact; ham.

Example Sentences

Thankfully, someone was there to capture this “jit going ham,” as the cameraman put it.

From The Daily Beast

Mister Ham in need of cash: That is something a lot of people will not believe.

From The Daily Beast

And this week it was Mister Ham, General Delivery, United States.

From The Daily Beast

“Maybe you need a good overcoat for Christmas,” Mister Ham was saying.

From The Daily Beast

Nobody bothered to tell Mister Ham about it until the following August.

From The Daily Beast

“Ham and eggs, dry toast and shrimps,” said the keen-eyed traveller in reply to the reiterated question.

From Project Gutenberg

He reached over, with astonishing suddenness in one so bulky, and twirled the secretary about with his ham of a hand.

From Project Gutenberg

A pair of carvers, laid with my cover, tell me that I shall have to carve the ham which is here eaten with the chicken.

From Project Gutenberg

My host has before him a fine joint of beef, there are two chicken in front of my hostess, and I am placed opposite a boiled ham.

From Project Gutenberg

Every “biscuit” or “ham” has been cut in two to find out whether the native has loaded it in any way.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hot dog