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Girdle vs Hem - What's the difference?

girdle | hem | Synonyms |

In transitive terms the difference between girdle and hem

is that girdle is to kill or stunt a tree by removing or inverting a ring of bark while hem is : To surround something or someone in a confining way.

As an interjection hem is

used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

As a pronoun hem is

obsolete form of 'em|lang=en.

girdle

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • That which girds, encircles, or encloses; a circumference
  • * Shakespeare
    • within the girdle of these walls
  • A belt or elasticated corset; especially, a belt, sash, or article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist, often used to support stockings or hosiery.
  • * Bible, Revelations xv. 6
    • their breasts girded with golden girdles
  • The zodiac; also, the equator.
  • * Campbell
    • that gems the starry girdle of the year
  • * Cowper
    • from the world's girdle to the frozen pole
    (Francis Bacon)
  • The line of greatest circumference of a diamond, at which it is grasped by the setting.
    • (Knight)
  • (mining) A thin bed or stratum of stone.
    • (Raymond)
  • The clitellum of an earthworm.
  • (Scottish, Northern English)

    • Verb

    (girdl)
  • To gird, encircle, or constrain by such means.
  • To kill or stunt a tree by removing or inverting a ring of bark.

    • Anagrams

    * * *

    hem

    English

    Etymology 1

    A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)

    Interjection

    (en-interj)!
  • Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.

    • See also

    * ahem * haw

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
  • * Spectator
    • his morning hems

    Verb

    (hemm)
  • To make the sound expressed by the word hem ; to hesitate in speaking.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Hem , and stroke thy beard.
    Derived terms
    * hem and haw

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hemm and related to Middle High German .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sewing) The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.
  • A rim or margin of something.
  • * Shakespeare
    • hem of the sea
  • In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
    • Derived terms
    * touch the hem of someone's garment

    Verb

    (hemm)
  • (in sewing) To make a hem.
  • (transitive): To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
  • (transitive): To surround something or someone in a confining way.

    • Related terms

    * hemmed * hemming * hemmer

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) hem, from (etyl) .

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)

    • Anagrams

    * ----