English

hamfist

From ham + fist.

A compound of ham + fist

Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m ‘leg’

Proto-Germanic *hamō

Proto-West Germanic *hammu

Old English hamm ‘inner or hind part of the knee, ham’

Middle English hamme ‘the back or inside of the knee’

English ham

Proto-West Germanic *fūsti

Old English fȳst

Middle English fist

English fist

Today it means

verb To handle crudely.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.