hem [hemhemshemmedhemming] noun, verb BrE [hem] NAmE [hem] noun the edge of a piece of cloth that has been folded over and sewn, especially on a piece of clothing •to take up the hem of a dress (= to make the dress shorter)
Word Origin: Old English border of a piece of cloth, of West Germanic origin. The verb senses date from the mid 16th cent. Idiom: ↑hem and haw Derived: ↑hem somebody in
verb (-mm-)~ sth to make a ↑hem on sth •to hem a skirt Verb forms:
Word Origin: Old English border of a piece of cloth, of West Germanic origin. The verb senses date from the mid 16th cent.
