ham-fisted

ham-fisted

See also: hamfisted

English

Alternative forms

• hamfisted

Etymology

From ham (“overacting inferior performer; actor of low grade; incompetent pugilist”) +‎ fisted.

Adjective

ham-fisted (comparative more ham-fisted, superlative most ham-fisted)

1. Lacking skill in physical movement, especially with the hands.
2. (by extension) Lacking skill in general.
   • 2008, December 6, Jean has done Canada a favour‎:

     Harper has a few weeks' grace, during which he and his ham-fisted finance minister, Jim Flaherty, can ponder the error of their ways.

Synonyms

• cackhanded
• clumsy
• ham-handed
• mutton-fisted

Antonyms

• dexterous
• skillful

Translations

lacking skill in physical movement

Dutch: onhandig (nl), lomp (nl) Finnish: poropeukalo (fi), kömpelö (fi) French: maladroit (fr) German: unbeholfen, plump (de) Hungarian: ügyetlen (hu)

Norwegian: klomsete, klønete Portuguese: desengonçado Russian: неуклю́жий (ru) (neukljúžij), нело́вкий (ru) (nelóvkij) Serbo-Croatian: nespretan (sh) m, nespretna (sh) f, nespretno (sh) n Swedish: valhänt (sv)

Anagrams

• made shift