ham

Word family

Related topics: Food, Broadcasting, Performing

ham1 /hæm/ S3 noun

1 [countableC, uncountableU]DF the upper part of a pig’s leg, or the meat from this that has been preserved with salt or smoke 火腿，火腿肉 → gammon

a ham sandwich

火腿三明治

a seven-pound ham

七磅重的火腿

2. [countableC]TCB someone who receives and sends radio messages for fun rather than as their job 业余无线电爱好者

3. [countableC] informalAPACTOR/ACTRESS an actor who performs with too much false emotion 演技做作的演员，表演过火的演员

Examples from the Corpus

ham• a ham for Easter dinner• On top, place half of cheese and ham.• Bear hams were available from superior dealers in salted provisions.• Thus creating a succulently flavoured ham that goes perfectly with a watercress and avocado salad and a few slices of brown bread.• He gon na give me my ham.• In this case a 101 year old ham, the most ancient in the world.• At Christmas they sent hams and bourbon to the house.• York ham is renowned throughout the world, although other hams are less well known.

ham2 verb (hammed, hamming)

ham it up informalAPACTOR/ACTRESS to perform with too much false emotion when acting 做作地表演，表演过火

Examples from the Corpus

ham it up• For all the kids care he could be Goofy, hamming it up for Mickey Mouse.• Every year Dad puts on his Santa suit and hams it up for the kids.• Overemphasis, hamming it up, leads to the exaggerations of satire, cartooning, melodrama and farce.

Examples from the Corpus

ham• For all the kids care he could be Goofy, hamming it up for Mickey Mouse.• Overemphasis, hamming it up, leads to the exaggerations of satire, cartooning, melodrama and farce.

Origin ham1

1. Old English hamm

2. (1900-2000) Perhaps from amateur

3. (1800-1900) ham-fatter “bad actor” ((19-20 centuries)), from the song 'The Ham-fat Man'.

ham1 nounham2 verb

Chinese

Corpus