Hem dictionary definition

hem

[hem]

Use hem in a sentence

noun

The definition of a hem is the folded and sewn border of a piece of clothing or other material.
An example of a hem is the cuff of a shirt sleeve that keeps the fabric from unraveling.

verb

Hem is defined as to fold and sew a piece of fabric to create a finished border.
An example of hem is making a pair of pants shorter.

A woman puts a hem on a garment.

hem

noun

the border on a garment or piece of cloth, usually made by folding the edge and sewing it down
any border, edge, or margin

Origin of hem

Middle English ; from Old English akin to Middle Low German ham, enclosed piece of land ; from Indo-European base an unverified form kem-, to compress, impede from source hamper

transitive verb

hemmed, hemming

to fold back the edge of and sew down; put a hem or hems on

hem Idioms

hem in

or hem around or hem about

to encircle; surround
to confine or restrain

interjection

noun

(used to suggest) the sound made in clearing the throat

intransitive verb

hemmed, hemming

to make this sound, as in trying to get attention or in showing doubt

hem Idioms

hem and haw

to make sounds like hems, or grope about in speech, while searching for the right words to say
to speak in a vague or evasive manner; equivocate

hemo-: used before a vowel

hem

noun

An edge or border on a piece of cloth, especially a finished edge, as for a garment or curtain, made by folding an edge under and stitching it down.
The height or level of the bottom edge of a skirt, dress, or coat; a hemline.

transitive verb

hemmed hemmed, hem·ming, hems

To fold back and stitch down the edge of.
To surround and shut in; enclose: a valley hemmed in by mountains. See Synonyms at enclose.

Origin of hem

Middle English, from Old English hem, hemm.

Related Forms:

hem′mer
noun

noun

A short cough or clearing of the throat made especially to gain attention, warn another, hide embarrassment, or fill a pause in speech.

intransitive verb

hemmed hemmed, hem·ming, hems

To utter a hem.
To hesitate in speech.

Origin of hem

From Middle English heminge, coughing, of imitative origin.

or hema–

prefix

Variants of hemo–.

hem

Interjection

Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

Noun

(plural hems)

An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present hems, present participle hemming, simple past and past participle hemmed)

To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.

Origin

A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

Noun

(plural hems)

(sewing) The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.
A rim or margin of something.
In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present hems, present participle hemming, simple past and past participle hemmed)

(intransitive) (in sewing) To make a hem.
: To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
: To surround something or someone in a confining way.

Origin

From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hemm and related to Middle High German hemmen (“to hem in”), Old Norse hemja (“to hem in, restrain”). The Proto-Indo-European root gave rise also to Armenian քամել (kʿamel, “to press, wring”) and Russian ком (kom, “lump”).