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hem
1[ hem ]
verb (used with object)
- to fold back and sew down the edge of (cloth, a garment, etc.); form an edge or border on or around.
- to enclose or confine (usually followed by in, around, or about ):
hemmed in by enemies.
noun
- an edge made by folding back the margin of cloth and sewing it down.
- the edge or border of a garment, drape, etc., especially at the bottom.
- the edge, border, or margin of anything.
- Architecture. the raised edge forming the volute of an Ionic capital.
hem
2[ hem ]
interjection
- (an utterance resembling a slight clearing of the throat, used to attract attention, express doubt, etc.)
noun
- the utterance or sound of “hem.â€
- a sound or pause of hesitation:
His sermon was full of hems and haws.
verb (used without object)
- to utter the sound “hem.â€
- to hesitate in speaking.
hem-
3- variant of hemo- before a vowel:
hemal.
hem-
1combining_form
- a US variant of haemo-
hem
2/ ³óÉ›³¾ /
noun
- an edge to a piece of cloth, made by folding the raw edge under and stitching it down
- short for hemline
verb
- to provide with a hem
- usually foll byin, around, or about to enclose or confine
hem
3/ ³óÉ›³¾ /
noun
- a representation of the sound of clearing the throat, used to gain attention, express hesitation, etc
verb
- intr to utter this sound
- hem and haw or hum and hawto hesitate in speaking or in making a decision
˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins
Origin of hem1
Origin of hem2
˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins
Origin of hem1
Idioms and Phrases
- 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.
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Related ˜yÐÄvlogs
˜yÐÄvlogs That Use Hem-
What does hem- mean?
Hem- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “blood.†It is used in many medical terms, especially in pathology.
Hem- comes from the Greek ³ó²¹Ã®³¾²¹, meaning “blood.â€
Hem- is a variant of hemo-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. The spelling haem- is chiefly used in British English.
Want to know more? Read our ˜yÐÄvlogs That Use hemo- article.
Other variants of hem- used like hem- are hema-, hemato-, and hemat-.
As with haem-, all of these combining forms are often spelled with an additional a in British English, as in haemo-, haema-, haemato-, and haemat-. Historically, these forms have been spelled with a ligature of the a and e, as in ³óæ³¾-.
Closely related to hem- are -aemia, -emia, -haemia, and -hemia, which are combined to the ends of words to denote blood conditions.
You can learn all about the specific applications for each of these forms at our ˜yÐÄvlogs That Use articles for them.
Examples of hem-
One medical term that features the combining form hem- is hemagogue, “an agent that promotes the flow of blood.â€
The first part of the word, hem-, means “blood.†The second part of the word, -agogue, is a combining form that means “leader, bringer.†It is used in medical terms to denote substances inducing expulsion or secretion. Hemagogue literally translates to “bringer of blood.â€
What are some words that use the combining form hem-?
What are some other forms that hem- may be commonly confused with?
Hem- is not to be confused with hem, a bottom edge of a piece of clothing or sound of clearing the throat, among other senses. And outside medicine, most words that begin with the exact letters hem- are not using it as a combining form to refer to blood, e.g., hemp.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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