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.
HEMA-
Hem"a-.
Defn: Same as Hæma-.