Topic: CLOTHES
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hem2 past tense and past participle hemmed, present participle hemming
1 [transitive]DCC to turn under the edge of a piece of material or clothing and stitch it in place
2 to keep pausing before saying something, and avoid saying it directly
hem and haw
American Englishhem somebody/something ↔ in
phrasal verb1 to surround someone or something closely : 
They were hemmed in on all sides by the soldiers and the dogs.The market place is hemmed in by shops and banks.
They were hemmed in on all sides by the soldiers and the dogs.The market place is hemmed in by shops and banks.2 to make someone feel that they are not free to do what they want to do : They hem in the child with endless rules and restrictions.
They hem in the child with endless rules and restrictions.