hem
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hem 1
(hĕm)n.
1. 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.
2. The height or level of the bottom edge of a skirt, dress, or coat; a hemline.
tr.v. hemmed, hem·ming, hems
1. To fold back and stitch down the edge of.
2. To surround and shut in; enclose: a valley hemmed in by mountains. See Synonyms at enclose.
[Middle English, from Old English hem, hemm.]
hem′mer n.
hem 2
(hĕm)n.
A short cough or clearing of the throat made especially to gain attention, warn another, hide embarrassment, or fill a pause in speech.
intr.v. hemmed, hem·ming, hems
Idiom: 1. To utter a hem.
2. To hesitate in speech.
hem and haw
To be hesitant and indecisive; equivocate: "a leader who cannot make up his or her mind, never knows what to do, hems and haws" (Margaret Thatcher).
[From Middle English heminge, coughing, of imitative origin.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hem
(hɛm)n
1. (Knitting & Sewing) an edge to a piece of cloth, made by folding the raw edge under and stitching it down
2. (Clothing & Fashion) an edge to a piece of cloth, made by folding the raw edge under and stitching it down
3. (Knitting & Sewing) short for hemline
vb (tr) , hems, hemming or hemmed
4. (Knitting & Sewing) to provide with a hem
5. (usually foll by: in, around, or about) to enclose or confine
[Old English hemm; related to Old Frisian hemme enclosed land]
hem
(hɛm)n, interj
a representation of the sound of clearing the throat, used to gain attention, express hesitation, etc
vb, hems, hemming or hemmed
1. (intr) to utter this sound
2. hem and haw hum and haw to hesitate in speaking or in making a decision
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hem1
(hɛm)v. hemmed, hem•ming,
n. v.t.
1. to fold back and sew down the edge of (cloth, a garment, etc.); form an edge or border on or around.
2. to enclose or confine (usu. fol. by in, around, or about): hemmed in by enemies.
n. 3. an edge made by folding back the margin of cloth and sewing it down.
4. the bottom edge or border of a garment, drape, etc.
5. the edge, border, or margin of anything.
[before 1000; Middle English hem(m)]
hem′mer, n.
hem2
(hɛm)interj., n., v. hemmed, hem•ming. interj.
1. (an utterance resembling a slight clearing of the throat, used esp. to attract attention or express doubt or hesitation.)
n. 2. the utterance or sound of “hem.”
v.i. 3. to utter the sound “hem.”
4. to hesitate in speaking.
Idioms: hem and haw,
a. to hesitate or falter while speaking.
b. to avoid giving a direct answer.
[1520–30; imitative]
hem-
var. of hemo- before a vowel: hemagglutinate.
Also, esp. Brit., haem-. Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
hem
Past participle: hemmed
Gerund: hemming
| Imperative |
|---|
| hem |
| hem |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  hem - the edge of a piece of cloth; especially the finished edge that has been doubled under and stitched down; "the hem of her dress was stained"; "let down the hem"; "he stitched weights into the curtain's hem"; "it seeped along the hem of his jacket"edge - the outside limit of an object or area or surface; a place farthest away from the center of something; "the edge of the leaf is wavy"; "she sat on the edge of the bed"; "the water's edge" |
| 2. | hem - the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat; intended to get attention, express hesitancy, fill a pause, hide embarrassment, warn a friend, etc. utterance, vocalization - the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication | |
| Verb | 1. | hem - fold over and sew together to provide with a hem; "hem my skirt" |
| 2. | hem - utter `hem' or `ahem' |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
hem
hem something or someone in
1. surround, edge, border, skirt, confine, enclose, shut in, hedge in, environ Manchester is hemmed in by greenbelt countryside.
2. restrict, confine, beset, circumscribe hemmed in by rigid, legal contracts
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
hem
verb1. To shut in on all sides:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
حاشِيَه، هُدْبيَكُفُّ أو يَغْبِنُ ثَوْبا
obroubitobruba
kantkantesømsømme
faldafaldur
apsiuvaspalankas
apakšmalaapvīlētvīle
obrúbiť
rob
hem
[hem]A. N → dobladillo m, bastilla f
B. VT (Sew) → hacer el dobladillo de, coser el dobladillo de
hem in VT + ADV (lit) (= surround) → cercar; (= corner) → arrinconar
our forces were hemmed in to both east and west → nuestras fuerzas estaban cercadas por el este y el oeste
I feel hemmed in → me siento constreñido or limitado
our forces were hemmed in to both east and west → nuestras fuerzas estaban cercadas por el este y el oeste
I feel hemmed in → me siento constreñido or limitado
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
hem
(hem) noun the border of a piece of clothing, folded over and sewn.
verb – past tense, past participle hemmed – to make a hem on (a piece of clothing). I've hemmed the skirt.
hem in to surround (someone). The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides by the enemy.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.