How to pronounce hem
American English pronunciation
HEM
- IPA
- /ˈhɛm/
- Syllables
- HEM (1 syllable)
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What hem means
The edge of cloth folded over and sewn down
In a sentence: Grandpa sewed up the hem of my pants so I wouldn't trip.
Where it comes from: From an Old English word for the edge of a piece of cloth.
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Another meaning
To surround and shut in, leaving little room to move
In a sentence: Tall buildings hemmed in the tiny park on every side.
Where it comes from: It comes from the Old English hemman, to shut in, related to hemm, an edge. It is the same word as the hem on a skirt.
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