hem

Etymology 1

A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

intj

1. Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

noun

1. An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
   his morning hems January 8, 1712', John Dryden, The Spectator No. 269

verb

1. To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.

Etymology 2

From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hemm, of West Germanic origin, from Proto-West Germanic *hammjan. Related to Middle High German hemmen (“to hem in”), Old Norse hemja (“to hem in, restrain”); outside of Germanic, to Armenian քամել (kʿamel, “to press, wring”), Russian ком (kom, “lump”). The verb is from Middle English hemmen, from Old English hemman, from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną, or alternatively derived from the noun.

noun

1. (sewing) The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.
2. A rim or margin of something.
3. In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.

verb

1. (sewing, intransitive) To make a hem.
2. (transitive) To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
3. (transitive) To shut in, enclose, confine; to surround something or someone in a confining way.
   A small yard hemmed about by a tall hedge.
   He’s in the saddle now. Fall in! Steady, the whole brigade! Hill’s at the ford, cut off — we’ll win his way out, ball and blade! What matter if our shoes are worn? What matter if our feet are torn? “Quick step! We’re with him before the morn!” That’s “Stonewall Jackson’s Way.” The sun’s bright lances rout the mists of morning, and by George! Here’s Longstreet struggling in the lists, hemmed in an ugly gorge. Pope and his Yankees, whipped before, “Bay’nets and grape!” hear Stonewall roar; “Charge, Stuart! Pay off Ashby’s score!” in “Stonewall Jackson’s Way. 1862, John Williamson Palmer, Stonewall Jackson's Way

Etymology 3

From Middle English hem, from Old English heom (“them”, dative), originally a dative plural form but in Middle English coming to serve as an accusative plural as well. More at 'em.

pron

1. Obsolete form of 'em.
   And wente to the kinge and to the queene, and said to hem with a glad cheer. 1481, William Caxton, The Historie of Reynart the Foxe
   For eyther of hem mayntened. 1485, William Caxton, Paris and Vienne
   ‘What thinke you of this English, tel me I pray you.’ ‘It is a language that wyl do you good in England but passe Dover, it is woorth nothing.’ ‘Is it not used then in other countreyes?’ ‘No sir, with whom wyl you that they speake?’ ‘With English marchants.’ ‘English marchantes, when they are out of England, it liketh hem not, and they doo not speake it. 1591, John Florio, Second Frutes to be gathered of twelve trees, of diverse but delightful tastes to the tongues of Italian and English
   Except we make hem such.