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# hem

noun (a hem, hems); verb (hem, hems, hemmed, hemming); interjection (hem, ahem)

«hem» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) The edge of a piece of cloth, folded over and sewn so it does not fray, such as the bottom of a skirt or trousers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#m1)
2. (verb) To sew a hem on something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#m2)
3. (verb, hem in) To surround someone or something so they cannot move or escape. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#m3)
4. (interjection) «Hem!» or «Ahem!» is a little cough to get attention or show doubt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#m4)
5. (in «hem and haw») To hesitate and not decide. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#m5)

### In the lessons

In sewing and textiles lessons pupils hem a piece of fabric. In stories people are «hemmed in» by enemies, crowds or mountains. In Alice in Wonderland the Mouse begins his «driest» story with «Ahem!» as a small cough before speaking.

### Examples

- Mum took up the hem of my school trousers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x1)
- We learned to hem a napkin in textiles class. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x2)
- The sheep were hemmed in by the fence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x3)
- Toad felt hemmed in by the weasels on every side. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x4)
- «Ahem!» said the Mouse, with an important air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x5)
- The skirt's hem was muddy from the field. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x6)
- Stop hemming and hawing and choose a flavour! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x7)
- He said, “Hem! hem!” but it was of no use. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/#x8)

### Note

Verb doubles the m: hemmed, hemming. «Hem in» = surround and trap. «Hem and haw» (US «hem and haw», UK more often «hum and haw») = hesitate. «Ahem» is how the throat-clearing sound is written.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: David says God has "hemmed me in" behind and before. The tradition reads this as meaning that God is near on every side and knows a person completely, so there is no place to hide from Him. In the primary lessons: In sewing and textiles lessons pupils hem a piece of fabric. In stories people are «hemmed in» by enemies, crowds or mountains. In Alice in Wonderland the Mouse begins his «driest» story with «Ahem!» as a small cough before speaking.

### Examples

- Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me. (Writings PSA.139.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hem/#x1)

### Note

Verb doubles the m: hemmed, hemming. «Hem in» = surround and trap. «Hem and haw» (US «hem and haw», UK more often «hum and haw») = hesitate. «Ahem» is how the throat-clearing sound is written.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «hem» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hem/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hem» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hem.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «hem» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hem/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hem» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/hem.html) on Mova free.