The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\, v. i. [[root]15. See Hem, interj.]
   To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to
   hesitate in speaking. "Hem, and stroke thy beard." --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\ (h[e^]m), pron. [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl.
   of. h[=e] he. See He, They.]
   Them [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\, interj.
   An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation,
   doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud
   or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm.
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         Cough or cry hem, if anybody come.       --Shak.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\, n.
   An utterance or sound of the voice, hem or hm, often
   indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call
   attention. "His morning hems." --Spectator.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\, n. [AS. hem, border, margin; cf. Fries. h[aum]mel,
   Prov. G. hammel hem of mire or dirt.]
   1. The edge or border of a garment or cloth, doubled over and
      sewed, to strengthen it and prevent raveling.
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   2. Border; edge; margin. "Hem of the sea." --Shak.
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   3. A border made on sheet-metal ware by doubling over the
      edge of the sheet, to stiffen it and remove the sharp
      edge.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hem \Hem\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hemmed; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Hemming.]
   1. To form a hem or border to; to fold and sew down the edge
      of. --Wordsworth.
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   2. To border; to edge
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            All the skirt about
            Was hemmed with golden fringe.        --Spenser.
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   To hem about, To hem around, or To hem in, to inclose
      and confine; to surround; to environ. "With valiant
      squadrons round about to hem." --Fairfax. "Hemmed in to be
      a spoil to tyranny." --Daniel.

   To hem out, to shut out. "You can not hem me out of
      London." --J. Webster.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

hem
    n 1: the edge of a piece of cloth; especially the finished edge
         that has been doubled under and stitched down; "the hem of
         her dress was stained"; "let down the hem"; "he stitched
         weights into the curtain's hem"; "it seeped along the hem
         of his jacket"
    2: the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat;
       intended to get attention, express hesitancy, fill a pause,
       hide embarrassment, warn a friend, etc. [syn: hem, ahem]
    v 1: fold over and sew together to provide with a hem; "hem my
         skirt"
    2: utter `hem' or `ahem'

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

117 Moby Thesaurus words for "hem":
   adjoin, bank, bar, beading, befringe, begird, beset, bind, binding,
   board, border, bordering, bordure, bound, box, box in, box up,
   brim, brink, brow, bulkhead in, cage, circle, circumscribe,
   close in, coast, confine, corral, cramp, define, edge, edging,
   encircle, encompass, enframe, envelop, falter, featheredge, fence,
   fimbria, fimbriation, flange, flounce, frame, frill, frilling,
   fringe, furbelow, galloon, gird, girdle, halt, haw, hedge,
   hem and haw, hem in, hesitate, hum, hum and haw, immure,
   keep from spreading, keep within bounds, labellum, labium, labrum,
   lap, ledge, limb, limbus, limit, line, lip, list, localize, mammer,
   march, marge, margin, marginate, motif, narrow, pale, palisade,
   pen, perimeter, periphery, picket, purfle, purl, qualify,
   ragged edge, rail, restrict, rim, ring, round, ruffle, selvage,
   set off, shore, shut, side, sideline, skirt, skirting, stammer,
   stint, stumble, stutter, surround, tighten, trim, trimming,
   valance, verge, wall, welt



Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Hem
   of a garment, the fringe of a garment. The Jews attached much
   importance to these, because of the regulations in Num. 15:38,
   39. These borders or fringes were in process of time enlarged so
   as to attract special notice (Matt. 23:5). The hem of Christ's
   garment touched (9:20; 14:36; Luke 8:44).