Hem

Pronunciation

• IPA: /hÉ›m/
• pin-pen IPA: /hɪm/
• Rhymes: -É›m
• Homophones: him pin-pen merger

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

Full definition of hem

Interjection

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

Noun

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

Verb

1. To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.
• ShakespeareHem, and stroke thy beard.

Derived terms

• hem and haw

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 (k'amel, "to press, wring") and Russian ком (kom, "lump").

Noun

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

Derived terms

• touch the hem of someone's garment

Verb

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

Related terms

• hemmed
• hemming
• hemmer

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.

Pronoun

1. Obsolete form of 'em

Anagrams

• meh