The term YAM can refer to three different things. The first is a TALE, which is a story or narrative that is usually passed down through generations. The second is a TUBER, which is an underground stem of a plant that stores nutrients and is edible. The third is a sweet potato, which is a root vegetable that is related to the yam and is often confused with it. Finally, the verb for Popeye is 'to eat spinach, ' which is a reference to the cartoon character's favorite food.