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hem2

Pronunciation: /həm, hɛm/
Translate hem | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of hem

exclamation

  • used in writing to indicate a sound made when coughing or clearing the throat to attract attention or to express hesitation.

verb (hems, hemming, hemmed)

[no object] archaic
  • make a sound in the throat when hesitating or as a signal: Jane, if any one is about, come to the foot of the stairs and hem

Phrases

hem and haw

North American term for hum and haw (see hum1).

Origin:

late 15th century: imitative

hem in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of hem in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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