Category:Hem

Hem, pron. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. h he. See He, They.]

Defn: Them [Obs.] Chaucer.

hem Hem, interj.

Defn: An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation, doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm. Cough or cry hem, if anybody come. Shak.

hem Hem, n.

Defn: An utterance or sound of the voice, hem or hm, often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention. "His morning hems." Spectator.

hem Hem, v. i. [Hem, interj.]

Defn: To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking. "Hem, and stroke thy beard." Shak.

hem Hem, n. Etym: [AS. hem, border, margin; cf. Fries. hämel, Prov. G. hammel hem of mire or dirt.]

1. The edge or border of a garment or cloth, doubled over and sewed, to strengthen raveling.

2. Border; edge; margin. "Hem of the sea." Shak.

3. A border made on sheet-metal ware by doubling over the edge of the sheet, to stiffen it and remove the sharp edge.

hem Hem, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hemmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hemming.]

1. To form a hem or border to; to fold and sew down the edge of. Wordsworth.

2. To border; to edge All the skirt about Was hemmed with golden fringe. Spenser. To hem about, around, or in, to inclose and confine; to surround; to environ. "With valiant squadrons round about to hem." Fairfax. "Hemmed in to be a spoil to tyranny." Daniel. -- To hem out, to shut out. "You can not hem me out of London." J. Webster.

--- ---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Hem - Of a garment, the fringe of a garment. The Jews attached much importance to these, because of the regulations in Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:39. These borders or fringes were in process of time enlarged so as to attract special notice (Matthew 23:5). The hem of Christ's garment touched (Matthew 9:20; Matthew 14:36; Luke 8:44).