ham-handed — lacking skill or grace; clumsy or awkward in handling situations
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: lacking skill or grace; clumsy or awkward in handling situations
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhæm ˈhændɪd/
Example Sentences
- The CEO's ham-handed response to the crisis only made investors more nervous.
- My ham-handed attempt at wrapping presents looked like a toddler's art project.
- The waiter's ham-handed service spilled soup on three different customers.
ham-handed
ADJECTIVE[/ˈhæm ˈhændɪd/]
lacking skill or grace; clumsy or awkward in handling situations
a well-meaning customer reaches clumsily toward a high shelf of expensive teacups with oversized, awkward hand movements. His elbow accidentally bumps into a display of delicate plates behind him. The plates begin tumbling and crashing to the floor in a cascade of broken ceramic pieces. Other customers duck and cover while the shop owner watches in horror with hands covering his face. lacking skill or grace in handling delicate situations
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the image of large, clumsy hands like a ham (pig's thigh), which would be awkward for delicate work. The word 'ham' has been used since the 1940s to describe something oversized and clumsy.
Breakdown
ham (large, clumsy like a pig's thigh) + handed (having hands of a certain type)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The CEO's ham-handed response to the crisis only made investors more nervous.”
“My ham-handed attempt at wrapping presents looked like a toddler's art project.”
“The waiter's ham-handed service spilled soup on three different customers.”
“His ham-handed editing removed all the humor from the original script.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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