hem
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hem¹
- /hɛm/
- /hɪm/ pin pen merger
Sounds like him (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɛm
Where it comes from
A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)
interjection
- 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."
noun hems
- An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention. his morning hems
verb hems · hemming · hemmed
- To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking. Hem, and stroke thy beard.
hem²
- /hɛm/
- /hɪm/ pin pen merger
Sounds like him (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɛm
Where it comes from
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.
noun hems
- 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.
verb hems · hemming · hemmed
- 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.
hem³
Where it comes from
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
- Obsolete form of 'em And wente to the kinge and to the queene, and said to hem with a glad cheer.
Hem⁴
Where it comes from
From Khmer ហែម (haem, “to add, to supplement”).
proper noun Hems
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: downturn, decline, retrenchment, edge, border, margin, skirt, purfle, chandra, huh, skirts, them, rim, verge, trim, binding
Translations
Every language
verb to make a sound like "hem"
| Русский | хмыкнуть xmyknutʹ |
|---|
noun border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together
| Español | dobladillo, bastilla, hilván, repulgo |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 裾 suso |
| 中文 | 貼邊 /贴边 tiēbiān |
| Português | bainha |
| Français | ourlet |
| Deutsch | Saum |
| Italiano | orlo |
| Ελληνικά | στρίφωμα strífoma |
| Română | tiv |
| Русский | ободо́к obodók, кайма́ kajmá, край kraj, кро́мка krómka, подгибка podgibka |
| العربية | هُدُب hudub, هُدْب hudb, حَاشِيَة ḥāšiya |
verb to make a hem
| 中文 | 縫邊 /缝边 féngbiān |
|---|---|
| Français | ourler |
| Deutsch | säumen |
| Русский | подшива́ть podšivátʹ, подши́ть podšítʹ |
verb to put hem on an article of clothing
| Español | repulgar |
|---|---|
| Português | embainhar, bainhar, chulear |
| Français | ourler |
| Deutsch | säumen |
| Русский | подшива́ть podšivátʹ, подши́ть podšítʹ, обшива́ть obšivátʹ, обши́ть obšítʹ |
verb to surround something or someone in a confining way
| Português | cercar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | einengen |
| Русский | окаймля́ть okajmljátʹ, окайми́ть okajmítʹ |
Talk about this word "hem." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hem. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hem. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hem "hem." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hem.Cite this
@misc{hem_2026,
title = {hem},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hem},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
