Member posted July 29, 2013 20:46
I read an article that mentioned a ball player's "ham-handed challenges" to his team. I hadn't heard the term before, but I am sure many of you have? One definition was "clumsy" or "inept," both of which fit. Apparently "hamfistedness" is chiefly British.
Member I've only ever come across "ham-fisted" before. It's fairly common here.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Member arnie, does it mean "inept?" I don't see what "ham" has to do with ineptness or clumsiness, I guess.
Member It's only a guess but I'd guess that it refers to your hands being as big and as manoevreable as a ham.
Member I agree with Bob. The phrase is rather more recent than I'd imagined, though. According to the
Online Etymology Dictionary quote:
Ham-fisted (1928) was originally in reference to pilots who were heavy on the controls, as was ham-handed (by 1918).
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Member We of course use "ham" to denote overacting in theatre, but I've not heard it used as "ham-handed." That origin makes sense, Bob.
<Proofreader> posted August 02, 2013 05:49
I believe ham-handed derives from the duties of Hormel meat packers.
