Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
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- [ham uhp]
- /hæm ʌp/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ham uhp]
- /hæm ʌp/
Definitions of ham up words
- noun ham up an actor or performer who overacts. 1
- noun ham up an operator of an amateur radio station. 1
- idioms ham up ham it up, to overact; ham. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of ham up
First appearance:
before 1880 One of the 23% newest English words
1880-85; short for hamfatter, after The Hamfat Man, a black minstrel song celebrating an awkward man
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Ham up
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
ham up popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
ham up usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for ham up
verb ham up
- burlesque — A burlesque is a performance or a piece of writing that makes fun of something by copying it in an exaggerated way. You can also use burlesque to refer to a situation in real life that is like this.
- caricature — A caricature of someone is a drawing or description of them that exaggerates their appearance or behaviour in a humorous or critical way.
- ham — the second son of Noah, Gen. 10:1.
- travesty — a grotesque or debased likeness or imitation: a travesty of justice.
- chew up the scenery — Alternative form of chew the scenery.
Antonyms for ham up
verb ham up
- prevent — to keep from occurring; avert; hinder: He intervened to prevent bloodshed.
- abstain — If you abstain from something, usually something you want to do, you deliberately do not do it.
- cease — If something ceases, it stops happening or existing.
- discontinue — to put an end to; stop; terminate: to discontinue nuclear testing.
- hesitate — to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination: She hesitated to take the job.