hem
noun
- finished edge of a piece of knitting that is parallel; with the rows or courses of stitches
verb
- to make a hem in sewing
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /hɛm/ / /hɪm/
intj
Etymology: A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)
- Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.
“"Hem! hem! however there will be a by-place for me behind the stove."”
name
Etymology: From Khmer ហែម (haem, “to add, to supplement”).
- A surname.
noun
Etymology: From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hem, of West Germanic origin, from Proto-West Germanic *hammjan from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną. Related to Middle High German hemmen (“to hem in”), Old Norse hemja (“to hem in, restrain”); outside of Germanic, to Armenian քամել (kʻamel, “to press, wring”), Russian ком (kom, “lump”). The verb is from Middle English hemmen, from Old English hemman, from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną, or alternatively derived from the noun.
- 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.
“Entombed upon the very hem o' th' sea”
- In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
pron
Etymology: From Middle English hem, from Old English heom (“them”, dative), originally a dative plural form but in Middle English coming to serve as an accusative plural as well. More at 'em.
- Obsolete form of 'em.
“And wente to the kinge and to the queene, and said to hem with a glad cheer.”
“For eyther of hem mayntened.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hem, of West Germanic origin, from Proto-West Germanic *hammjan from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną. Related to Middle High German hemmen (“to hem in”), Old Norse hemja (“to hem in, restrain”); outside of Germanic, to Armenian քամել (kʻamel, “to press, wring”), Russian ком (kom, “lump”). The verb is from Middle English hemmen, from Old English hemman, from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną, or alternatively derived from the noun.
- To make a hem.
- To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
- To shut in, enclose, confine; to surround something or someone in a confining way.
“A small yard hemmed about by a tall hedge.”
“He’s in the saddle now. Fall in! Steady, the whole brigade! Hill’s at the ford, cut off — we’ll win his way out, ball and blade! What matter if our shoes are worn? What matter if our feet are torn? “Quick step! We’re with him before the morn!” That’s “Stonewall Jackson’s Way.” The sun’s bright lances rout the mists of morning, and by George! Here’s Longstreet struggling in the lists, hemmed in an ugly gorge. Pope and his Yankees, whipped before, “Bay’nets and grape!” hear Stonewall roar; “Charge, Stuart! Pay off Ashby’s score!” in “Stonewall Jackson’s Way.”