hem

UK: /ˈhɛm/ US: /hɛm/ ,(hem)

Inflections of 'hem' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

hems

v 3rd person singular

hemming

v pres p

hemmed

v past

hemmed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

hem¹ /hɛm/   v., hemmed, hem•ming, n. 
v. 

1. Clothing to form or sew a hem on:
   [~ + object] She hemmed the skirt.
2. to enclose;
   surround: [~ + in + object]
   The cavalry had managed to hem in the enemy infantry.
   [~ + object + in]
   A fence hemmed the sheep in.

n. [countable]

3. Clothing the bottom edge or border of a garment, drape, etc., esp. one made by folding back an edge and sewing it down.

hem•mer, n. [countable]

hem² /hɛm/   interj., n., v., hemmed, hem•ming. 
interj. 

1. This sound, resembling a slight clearing of the throat, is used esp. to attract attention or express doubt or hesitation.

n. [countable]

2. the sound or the saying of "hem.''

v. [no object]

3. to utter the sound "hem.''
4. to hesitate in speaking:
   He hemmed a few moments, then answered.

Idioms

5. Idioms hem and haw, [no object]
   • to hesitate or falter while speaking:
     She hemmed and hawed a moment, nervous from all the pressure.
   • to avoid giving a direct answer:
     The candidate hemmed and hawed when asked if he had ever used illegal drugs.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hem¹  (hem), v., hemmed, hem•ming, n. 
v.t. 

1. to fold back and sew down the edge of (cloth, a garment, etc.);
   form an edge or border on or around.
2. to enclose or confine (usually fol. by in, around, or about): hemmed in by enemies.

n. 

3. an edge made by folding back the margin of cloth and sewing it down.
4. the edge or border of a garment, drape, etc., esp. at the bottom.
5. the edge, border, or margin of anything.
6. Architecture the raised edge forming the volute of an Ionic capital.

• bef. 1000; Middle English hem(m), Old English hem, probably akin to hamm enclosure; see home

hem²  (hem), interj., n., v., hemmed, hem•ming. 
interj. 

1. (an utterance resembling a slight clearing of the throat, used to attract attention, express doubt, etc.)

n. 

2. the utterance or sound of "hem.''
3. a sound or pause of hesitation:
   His sermon was full of hems and haws.

v.i. 

4. to utter the sound "hem.''
5. to hesitate in speaking.
6. Idioms hem and haw:
   • to hesitate or falter:
     She hemmed and hawed a lot before she came to the point.
   • to speak noncommittally;
     avoid giving a direct answer:
     He hems and haws and comes out on both sides of every question.

• imitative 1520–30

hem-, 

1. var. of hemo- before a vowel:
   hemal.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] haem-. Cf. haemat-. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hem / hɛm/ noun

1. an edge to a piece of cloth, made by folding the raw edge under and stitching it down
2. short for hemline

verb (hems, hemming, hemmed)(transitive)

1. to provide with a hem
2. usually followed by in, around, or about: to enclose or confine

Etymology: Old English hemm; related to Old Frisian hemme enclosed land

hem / hɛm/ noun , interjection

1. a representation of the sound of clearing the throat, used to gain attention, express hesitation, etc

verb (hems, hemming, hemmed)

1. (intransitive) to utter this sound
2. hem and haw, hum and haw ⇒ to hesitate in speaking or in making a decision

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

hemo- or hema-,prefix. 

1. hemo- or hema- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "blood.'' This meaning is found in such words as: hemoglobin, hemophilia, hemorrhage, hemorrhoid.

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] hem-. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hemo-, 

1. a combining form meaning "blood,'' used in the formation of compound words:
   hemocyte.

Also, hema-, hemato-;
 [esp. before a vowel,] hem-*  [esp. Brit.,] haemo-. 

• Neo-Latin, combining form representing Greek haîma blood

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hem- combining_form

1. a US variant of haemo-