ham 1
/ham/ , n.
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.
[ bef. 1000; ME hamme, OE hamm bend of the knee; c. MD, MLG hamme, OHG hamma; akin to ON hom buttock; perh. akin to Gk knéme shin, OIr cnáim bone ]
ham 2
/ham/ , n. , v. , hammed, hamming .
n.
1. an actor or performer who overacts.
2. an operator of an amateur radio station.
v.i. , v.t.
3. to act with exaggerated expression of emotion; overact.
4. ham it up , to overact; ham.
[ 1880-85; short for hamfatter, after The Hamfat Man, a black minstrel song celebrating an awkward man ]