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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hem \Hem\, verb (used without an object) [[root]15. See {Hem}, interj.] To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking. ''Hem, and stroke thy beard.'' --Shak.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hem \Hem\, noun [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 it and prevent 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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hem \Hem\, verb (used with an object) [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}, {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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hem \Hem\ (h[e^]m), pronoun [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. h[=e] he. See {He}, {They}.] Them [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Hem \Hem\, noun 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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
hem
noun: lap that forms a cloth border doubled back and stitched down
verb
1: fold over and sew together to provide with a hem; "hem my skirt"
2: utter 'hem' or 'ahem' [also: {hemming}, {hemmed}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
117 Moby Thesaurus words for "hem": adjoin, bank, bar, beading, befringe, begird, beset, bind, binding, board, border, bordering, bordure, bound, box, box in, box up, brim, brink, brow, bulkhead in, cage, circle, circumscribe, close in, coast, confine, corral, cramp, define, edge, edging, encircle, encompass, enframe, envelop, falter, featheredge, fence, fimbria, fimbriation, flange, flounce, frame, frill, frilling, fringe, furbelow, galloon, gird, girdle, halt, haw, hedge, hem and haw, hem in, hesitate, hum, hum and haw, immure, keep from spreading, keep within bounds, labellum, labium, labrum, lap, ledge, limb, limbus, limit, line, lip, list, localize, mammer, march, marge, margin, marginate, motif, narrow, pale, palisade, pen, perimeter, periphery, picket, purfle, purl, qualify, ragged edge, rail, restrict, rim, ring, round, ruffle, selvage, set off, shore, shut, side, sideline, skirt, skirting, stammer, stint, stumble, stutter, surround, tighten, trim, trimming, valance, verge, wall, welt
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Hem of a garment, the fringe of a garment. The Jews attached much importance to these, because of the regulations in Num. 15:38, 39. These borders or fringes were in process of time enlarged so as to attract special notice (Matt. 23:5). The hem of Christ's garment touched (9:20; 14:36; Luke 8:44).
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