Ham

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Ham, n. 

 Home.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

Ham, n. [AS. ham; akin to D. ham, dial. G. hamme, OHG. hamma. Perh. named from the bend at the ham, and akin to E. chamber. Cf. Gammon ham.].

•  The region back of the knee joint; the popliteal space; the hock.  [1913 Webster]
•  The thigh of any animal; especially, the thigh of a hog cured by salting and smoking.  [1913 Webster]

  "A plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams."  [1913 Webster]

Ham, n. 

•  a person who performs in a showy or exaggerated style; -- used especially of actors. Also used attributively, as, a ham actor.  [PJC]
•  The licensed operator of an amateur radio station.  [PJC]

Ham, v. i. 

 To act with exaggerated voice and gestures; to overact.  [PJC]

ham it up to act in a showy fashion or to act so as to attract attention; to ham. [Colloq.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Ham, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the upper part of a pig's leg salted and dried or smoked for food. b the meat from this.
2 the back of the thigh; the thigh and buttock.
3 sl. (often attrib.) an inexpert or unsubtle actor or piece of acting.
4 (in full radio ham) colloq. the operator of an amateur radio station.
--v.intr. & (often foll. by up) tr. (hammed, hamming) sl. overact; act or treat emotionally or sentimentally.

Etymology

OE ham, hom f. a Gmc root meaning 'be crooked'

THESAURUS

Ham

ARRL, acting, actor-proof, all-star, amateur radio operator, ankle, bacon, ballet, balletic, bayonet legs, be theatrical, bowlegs, buffoonery, business, butt, calf, characterization, chitterlings, cinematic, cinematographic, cnemis, cochon de lait, control engineer, country town, cracklings, crossroads, declaim, dramatic, dramatical, dramaturgic, drumstick, emote, emotionalize, fat back, film, filmic, flitch, foreleg, gag, gamb, gambrel, gammon, gigot, grimace, grimacer, gush, ham actor, ham it up, ham steak, hamlet, hammy, hammy acting, haslet, headcheese, hind leg, histrionic, hock, hoke, hokum, impersonation, jamb, jambon, jambonneau, knee, lard, leg, legitimate, limb, make a scene, melodramatic, milked, mimesis, mimicking, mimicry, miming, mixer, monitor, monodramatic, movie, mug, mummery, operatic, out-herod Herod, overact, overacted, overacting, overdramatize, overplayed, pantomiming, patter, performance, performing, personation, picnic ham, pieds de cochon, pig, playacting, playing, podite, popliteal space, pork, porkpie, portrayal, projection, radio electrician, radio engineer, radio operator, radio technician, radioman, radiotelegrapher, radiotrician, rant, representation, roar, salt pork, scenic, scissor-legs, sentimentalize, shank, shin, side of bacon, slapstick, slobber over, slop over, small ham, sowbelly, spectacular, spout, stage business, stage directions, stage presence, stagelike, stageworthy, stagy, starstruck, stellar, stems, stumps, stunt, suckling pig, taking a role, tarsus, theaterlike, theatrical, theatricalize, thespian, thorp, throw away, thrown away, trotters, underact, underacted, underplayed, vaudevillian, village, wick

ROGET THESAURUS

Ham

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.