I. ham¹ /hæm/ noun
[Sense 1: Language: Old English; Origin: hamm]
[Sense 2: Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Perhaps from amateur]
[Sense 3: Date: 1800-1900; Origin: ham-fatter 'bad actor' (19-20 centuries), from the song 'The Ham-fat Man'. ]

1. [uncountable and countable] the upper part of a pig’s leg, or the meat from this that has been preserved with salt or smoke ⇒ gammon:
a ham sandwich
a seven-pound ham

2. [countable] someone who receives and sends radio messages for fun rather than as their job

3. [countable] informal an actor who performs with too much false emotion

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. ham² verb (past tense and past participle hammed, present participle hamming)
ham it up informal to perform with too much false emotion when acting

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

ham
noun
ADJ. lean | baked, boiled, cooked, cured, honey-roast, Parma, smoked | cold cold ham and salad
sliced
QUANT. bit, piece, slice | joint, leg
VERB + HAM eat, have | boil, cook, roast | carve, slice
HAM + NOUN roll, salad, sandwich
PHRASES ham on the bone We had boiled ham on the bone for dinner.
 ⇒ Special page at FOOD

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲