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Ham vs Jam - What's the difference?

ham | jam |

In countable terms the difference between ham and jam

is that ham is a thigh and buttock of an animal slaughtered for meat while jam is blockage, congestion.

As nouns the difference between ham and jam

is that ham is the region back of the knee joint; the popliteal space; the hock while jam is a sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts.

As verbs the difference between ham and jam

is that ham is to overact; to act with exaggerated emotions while jam is to get something stuck in a confined space.

As a proper noun Ham

is a son of Noah and the brother of Japheth and Shem.

As an initialism HAM

is his Apostolic Majesty, the title given to a number of historical kings of Hungary.

ham

English

(wikipedia ham)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) hamme, from (etyl) . Compare gammon.

Noun

(en noun)
  • (anatomy) The region back of the knee joint; the popliteal space; the hock.
  • (countable) A thigh and buttock of an animal slaughtered for meat.
  • (uncountable) Meat from the thigh of a hog cured for food.
  • a little piece of ham for the cat
  • * (rfdate), Audra Lilly Griffeth, A King's Daughter (ISBN 146915532X):
  • She put some ham in the beans and cut up some sweet potatoes to boil.
  • The back of the thigh.
  • (internet, informal) Electronic mail that is wanted; mail that is not spam or junk mail.
  • Derived terms
    * ham-fisted * hambone * hammy, hamstring

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (-)
  • Usage notes

    * Persists in many old place names, such as (Buckingham).

    References

    *

    Etymology 3

    Shortened from , said to derive from the 1863 minstrel show song The Ham-fat Man . "ham", Online Etymology Dictionary

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An overacting or amateurish performer; an actor with an especially showy or exaggerated style.
  • An amateur radio operator.
  • Synonyms
    * radio amateur (amateur radio operator)

    Verb

  • To overact; to act with exaggerated emotions.
  • Anagrams

    *

    jam

    English

    , a type of jam, spread on a piece of bread

    Etymology 1

    Noun

  • A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts.
  • (countable) A difficult situation.
  • I’m in a jam right now. Can you help me out?
  • * 1975 , (Bob Dylan), (Tangled Up in Blue)
  • She was married when we first met
    Soon to be divorced
    I helped her out of a jam , I guess
    But I used a little too much force.
  • (countable) Blockage, congestion.
  • A traffic jam caused us to miss the game's first period.
    a jam of logs in a river
  • An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal.
  • (countable, baseball) A difficult situation for a pitcher or defending team.
  • He's in a jam now, having walked the bases loaded with the cleanup hitter coming to bat.
  • (countable, basketball) A forceful dunk.
  • (countable, roller derby) A play during which points can be scored.
  • Toughie scored four points in that jam .
  • (climbing, countable) Any of several maneuvers requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space.
  • I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.
  • (UK) luck.
  • He's got more jam than Waitrose.
  • (mining)
  • Synonyms
    * (sweet mixture of fruit) conserve, (US) jelly, preserve * See also
    Derived terms
    * jamjar * jammy * jam band * jam roly poly * jam sandwich * jam session * jam tart * jam tomorrow * log jam * Murrumbidgee jam * pearl jam * power jam * toe jam * traffic jam * want jam on it * climbing: ** hand jam ** finger jam ** fist jam ** foot jam ** pinkie jam ** ring jam ** thumb-down jam
    See also
    * jelly * marmalade

    Verb

    (jamm)
  • To get something stuck in a confined space.
  • My foot got jammed in a gap between the rocks.
    Her poor little baby toe got jammed in the door.
    I jammed the top knuckle of my ring finger.
  • To brusquely force something into a space; cram, squeeze.
  • They temporarily stopped the gas tank leak by jamming a piece of taffy into the hole.
    The rush-hour train was jammed with commuters.
  • To cause congestion or blockage. Often used with "up"
  • A single accident can jam the roads for hours.
  • To block or confuse a broadcast signal.
  • (baseball) To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands.
  • Jones was jammed by the pitch.
  • (music) To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session).
  • To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip.
  • When he tripped on the step he jammed his toe.
  • (roller derby) To attempt to score points.
  • Toughie jammed four times in the second period.
  • (nautical) To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback.
  • Synonyms
    * ram
    Derived terms
    * (to squeeze into a small space) jam-pack * jammer

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) or (etyl), meaning "garment, robe"; related to pajamas.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) A kind of frock for children.
  • English ergative verbs ----