Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Hem \Hem\, 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.
Hem \Hem\, v. i. [???. See {Hem}, interj.]
To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to
hesitate in speaking. ``Hem, and stroke thy beard.'' --Shak.
Hem \Hem\, n. [AS. hem, border, margin; cf. Fries. h["a]mel,
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.
Hem \Hem\, pron. [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. h? he.
See {He}, {They}.]
Them [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Hem \Hem\, interj.
An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation,
doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud
or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm.
Cough or cry hem, if anybody come. --Shak.
Source : WordNet®
hem
n : lap that forms a cloth border doubled back and stitched down
[also: {hemming}, {hemmed}]
hem
v 1: fold over and sew together to provide with a hem; "hem my
skirt"
2: utter `hem' or `ahem'
[also: {hemming}, {hemmed}]