hambone

[ham-bohn]

See more synonyms for hambone on Thesaurus.com

noun Theater.

(especially in vaudeville) a performer made up in blackface and using a stereotyped black dialect.

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Origin of hambone

1850–55; ham¹ + bone; cf. ham²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

star actor performer artist character clown player villain comedian entertainer thespian impersonator ham lead extra understudy mimic mime trouper walk-on

Examples from the Web for hambone

Contemporary Examples

That one made me laugh because I felt like such a hambone pantomiming.
Emmys 2013: Julie Bowen’s Favorite ‘Modern Family’ Moments (VIDEO)
Julie Bowen
September 4, 2013
Beck is an entertainer, and he does his job with hambone energy and handfuls of self-mockery.
The Beck Rally Is Harmless
John Batchelor
August 27, 2010

Historical Examples

The first thing Hambone did was to go to the back of the wagon for the jar.
S.O.S. Stand to!
Reginald Grant
Reynolds did as directed and Hambone ducked for cover and the wagon stood stock still.
S.O.S. Stand to!
Reginald Grant
Our glee was positively fiendish next day when watching Hambone wriggling uneasily in his clothes at parade.
S.O.S. Stand to!
Reginald Grant
A minute or two elapsed and no explosion taking place, Hambone rejoined the wagon and the party proceeded.
S.O.S. Stand to!
Reginald Grant
They'd rather fight en a yaller dawg likes fo' to worry a hambone.
Isle o' Dreams
Frederick F. Moore

Word Origin and History for hambone

n.

1855, "bone of a ham," from ham (n.1) + bone (n.). Meaning "inferior actor or performer" is from 1893, an elaboration of ham (n.2).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper