yam
Preserved but no longer current.
To eat. This word is used by the lowest class all over the world; by the Wapping sailor, West Indian negro, or Chinese coolie. When the fort, called the Dutch Folly, near Canton, was in course of erection by the Hollanders, under the pretence of being intended for an hospital, the Chinese observed a box containing muskets among the alleged hospital stores. "Hy-aw!" exclaimed John Chinaman, "How can sick man YAM gun?" The Dutch were surprised and massacred the same night.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “yam” mean?
To eat. This word is used by the lowest class all over the world; by the Wapping sailor, West Indian negro, or Chinese coolie. When the fort, called the Dutch Folly, near Canton, was in course of erection by the Hollanders, under the pretence of being intended for an hospital, the Chinese observed a box containing muskets among the alleged hospital stores. "Hy-aw!" exclaimed John Chinaman, "How can sick man YAM gun?" The Dutch were surprised and massacred the same night.
Is “yam” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.