hem

1 of 5

noun

ˈhem 

1

: a border of a cloth article doubled back and stitched down

2

: rim, margin

bright green hem of reeds about the ponds

—R. M. Lockley

hem

2 of 5

verb (1)

hemmed; hemming

transitive verb

1

a

: to finish with a hem

b

: border, edge

2

: to surround in a restrictive manner : confine

—usually used with in

hemmed in by enemy troops

intransitive verb

: to make a hem in sewing

hemmer noun

hem

3 of 5

verb (2)

ˈhem 

hemmed; hemming

intransitive verb

1

: to utter the sound represented by hem

hemmed and hawed before answering

2

: equivocate

the administration hemmed and hawed over the students' demands

hem

4 of 5

interjection

usually read as

ˈhem 

—often used to indicate a vocalized pause in speaking

hem-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or hemo-

: blood

hemagglutination

hemoflagellate

Synonyms

Noun

• border
• borderline
• bound
• boundary
• brim
• circumference
• compass
• confines
• edge
• edging
• end
• frame
• fringe
• margin
• perimeter
• periphery
• rim
• skirt
• skirting
• verge

Verb (1)

• box (in)
• cage
• closet
• coop (up)
• corral
• encage
• encase
• enclose
• inclose
• envelop
• fence (in)
• hedge
• house
• immure
• include
• mew (up)
• pen
• wall (in)

Examples of hem in a Sentence

Noun

shorten the hem of the dress

the hem of the blouse was gold

Verb (1)

a village hemmed in on all sides by mountains

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Collins chose a little black dress by Versace, featuring a slim-fitting silhouette with long sleeves and a hem just above the floor. —Julia Teti, WWD, 1 Nov. 2024

Adepoju also delivered waves in a slit gown and a white gown ruffled at the hem. —Ugonnaora Owoh, Essence, 31 Oct. 2024

Verb

They're already hemmed in by farmland or other development, so these iconic wetlands are getting squeezed and dying off in mass mortality events instead. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Those 20 percent on the other side, one suspects, will not change their minds, and we are hemmed in by them. —Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle High German hemmen to hem in, Armenian kamel to press

Interjection

imitative

Combining form

Latin haem-, haemo-, from Greek haim-, haimo-, from haima

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hem

• hem and haw

Kids Definition

hem

1 of 5 noun

ˈhem 

: a border of a garment or cloth made by folding back an edge and sewing it down

hem

2 of 5 verb

hemmed; hemming

1

: to finish with or make a hem in sewing

2

: to surround in a confining manner

a town hemmed in by mountains

hemmer noun

hem

3 of 5 verb

hemmed; hemming

1

: to make a sound during a pause in speaking which is usually written as hem

2

: to hesitate in speaking

hem

4 of 5 interjection

a throat-​clearing sound; often read as

ˈhem 

—often used to indicate a pause in speaking

hem-

5 of 5 combining form

variants or hemo-

: blood

Etymology

Noun

Old English hem "border on a garment"

Interjection

an imitation of the throat-clearing sound

Combining form

derived from Greek haima "blood"