ham up

1. Exaggerate or overdo, especially with extravagant emotion, as in Hamming up the eulogy was disgraceful, especially since he didn't even know the deceased. It is also put as ham it up, meaning “overact,” as in She loves to ham it up in front of the class. This idiom probably alludes to the hamfat (lard) used to remove stage makeup, mentioned in the minstrel song, “The Ham-Fat Man.” From this hamfatter came to mean “an inexpert and flamboyant actor,” and was in the late 1800s shortened to ham. The idiom here was first recorded in 1933.

Example Sentences

We know why Nuno Espirito Santo was brought in - to keep West Ham up - but it looks like it is going to be difficult for him.

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Forest are playing catch-up at the moment but, with West Ham up next after this, I still think they have a very good chance of making it.

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The result moved West Ham up to 13th in the Premier League, one place above Manchester United who have won just three of their opening nine games.

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“You kind of ham up for the people in the audience. My performance never got better than when there was an audience there.”

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“Ham up your ham! Make your toikey poiky!” went another.

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