HOW TO PRONOUNCE
hem
/hɛm/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does hem mean?
interjection
- Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.
noun
- An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
verb
- To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.
More meanings (8)
noun
- 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.
- In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
verb
- 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.
proper noun
- A surname.
pronoun
- (obsolete) Obsolete form of 'em.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/hɛm/
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
But the industrious man ran after the lovely lady and caught the hem of her floating robe in his grasp.
Bartley looked down at the toe of her yellow slipper which was tapping the rug impatiently under the hem of her gown.
More book examples (3)
Turning the horse suddenly he tried to drive back upon her, and so hem her in between the gig and the hedge.
The tyme com, fro diner for to ryse, And, as hem oughte, arisen everychoon, And gonne a while of this and that devyse.
Now the latest fashion seems to be the "slashed skirt" which, however, has the advantage of keeping the lower hem of the skirt clean.