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# ham

noun (ham — uncountable as food; a ham, hams); verb (ham it up — informal)

«ham» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Meat from the back leg of a pig, usually salted or smoked, often sliced for sandwiches. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#m1)
2. (informal) An actor who acts in a silly, too-dramatic way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#m2)
3. (ham it up) To act or show off in an exaggerated way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#m3)
4. (ham radio) Radio sent and received by amateurs as a hobby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#m4)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and food lessons: ham sandwiches, ham at holidays; ham is processed meat, so eat it now and then, and keep it in the fridge. In drama class: «Don't ham it up» — act naturally. Phrases: «ham sandwich», «a slice of ham», «ham and cheese», «ham it up».

### Examples

- I had a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x1)
- We eat a big ham at Christmas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x2)
- Could I have two slices of ham, please? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x3)
- My little brother is a real ham in front of the camera. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x4)
- The actor hammed it up and everyone laughed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x5)
- Keep the ham in the fridge so it stays safe to eat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x6)
- Grandpa talks to people all over the world on his ham radio. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x7)
- It was placed in the provision basket with ham and cheese and sausages. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/#x8)

### Note

As food, usually uncountable: «some ham», «a slice of ham»; «a ham» is a whole joint. Muslims and Jews who keep their food rules do not eat ham, because it comes from a pig. Verb: hammed, hamming.

## In Jewish tradition

The Psalms use "the land of Ham" as a poetic name for Egypt, where Jacob's family lived and where God did wonders.

**Interpretation.** The tradition sees Ham as the ancestor of many nations of the south, such as Egypt and Canaan.

### Examples

- And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Torah GEN.6.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x1)
- And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan. (Torah GEN.10.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x2)
- And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Torah GEN.5.32, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x3)
- The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. (Writings 1CH.1.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x4)
- Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. (Writings PSA.105.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x5)
- Wondrous works in the land of Ham, terrible things by the Red Sea. (Writings PSA.106.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/#x6)

### Note

As food, usually uncountable: «some ham», «a slice of ham»; «a ham» is a whole joint. Muslims and Jews who keep their food rules do not eat ham, because it comes from a pig. Verb: hammed, hamming.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ham» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/ham/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ham» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ham.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «ham» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/ham/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ham» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/ham.html) on Mova free.