hem

pron. [ OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. hē he. See He, They. ] Them [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ √15. See Hem, interj. ] To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking. “Hem, and stroke thy beard.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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 it and prevent raveling. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Border; edge; margin. “Hem of the sea.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A border made on sheet-metal ware by doubling over the edge of the sheet, to stiffen it and remove the sharp edge. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To border; to edge [ 1913 Webster ]

All the skirt about
Was hemmed with golden fringe. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

To hem about,
To hem around, or
To hem 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Same as Haema-. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. haemachates; Gr. a"i^ma blood + 'acha`ths agate.] (Min.) A species of agate, sprinkled with spots of red jasper. [1913 Webster]

n. Same as Haemachrome. [ 1913 Webster ]