ham1
n.
- salted or smoked meat from the upper part of a pig's leg.
-
(hams)
the back of the thigh or the thighs and buttocks.
Etymology
OE ham, hom (denoting the back of the knee), from a Gmc base meaning ‘be crooked’.
ham2
n.
- an inexpert or unsubtle actor or piece of acting.
-
(also radio ham)
informal an amateur radio operator.
v.
(hams, hamming, hammed)
(
usu. ham it up)
informal overact.
Etymology
C19: perh. from the first syllable of amateur; cf. the US sl. term hamfatter ‘inexpert performer’.