ham (redirected from hamming)

Ham, in the Bible

Ham, in the Bible, son of Noah. In biblical ethnography, Ham is the father of the nations Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan. In a story separate from the flood narrative, the legend related in the Book of Genesis and in the Qur'an suggests that Canaan was a son of Noah. The "Land of Ham" is a designation for Egypt in the Psalms. The Hamitic languages were named after this son of Noah.

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ham, food

ham, hind leg of a hog above the hock joint, prepared for food by curing or smoking. Ham is one of the earliest of preserved meats; it is now a leading product of the meatpacking industry. The flavor and quality of ham depend on the age, condition, and feeding of the swine and on the smoke used in curing. The Westphalian hams of Germany are smoked with juniper brush; birchwood also is used in N Europe; hickory is favored in the United States. The delicate flavor of the relatively lean Smithfield hams of Virginia is attributed in part to the roots, acorns, and nuts upon which the hogs feed. The major consumers of ham are Denmark, Germany, and the United States.

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ham

Cut of meat consisting of the thigh of a hog, usually preserved through a curing process that involves salting and smoking or drying. In addition to preserving the meat, curing gives it additional flavour. Sugar or honey and spices are sometimes added to further enhance flavour. Produced throughout the Old World except where forbidden by religious edict (principally by observant Muslims and Jews), ham became a favoured food on farms of North America. The distinctive qualities of hams of various regions of the world result from unique combinations of hog-raising and meat-processing techniques. Virginia hams, for example, are cut from razorback hogs fed on peanuts and peaches and smoked over apple- and hickory-wood fires. Ham is a source of high-grade animal protein, thiamine, and iron.

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ham

An amateur radio operator. The term's origin is uncertain, but most likely came from early, pre-radio days, when Morse-code operators were referred to as "ham-fisted" and called "hams." Anecdote places the origin as the first initials of "Hertz," "Ampere" and "Marconi," the originators of radio technology, but the term was used before Marconi's time. See EchoLink.

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ham¹

1. the part of the hindquarters of a pig or similar animal between the hock and the hip

2. Informal

a. the back of the leg above the knee

b. the space or area behind the knee

3. Needlework a cushion used for moulding curves

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ham²

Theatre informal

a. an actor who overacts or relies on stock gestures or mannerisms

b. overacting or clumsy acting

c. (as modifier): a ham actor