Trim vs Hem - What's the difference?
trim | hem | Related terms |
To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess; e.g. 'trim a hedge', 'trim a beard'. The adposition of can be used in present perfect tense to designate the removed part.
To decorate or adorn; especially, to decorate a Christmas tree.
* Milton
* Shakespeare
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
, title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=1 (nautical) To modify the angle of a vessel to the water by shifting cargo or ballast; to adjust for sailing; to assume, or cause a vessel to assume, a certain position, or trim, in the water. (FM 55-501).
* 1883 ,
(nautical) To modify the angle of a vessel's sails relative to the wind, especially to set the sails to the most advantageous angle.
(dated) To balance; to fluctuate between parties, so as to appear to favour each.
To make trim; to put in due order for any purpose; to make right, neat, or pleasing; to adjust.
* Goldsmith
(carpentry) To dress (timber); to make smooth.
(dated) To rebuke; to reprove; also, to beat.
(uncountable) Decoration; especially, decoration placed along edges or borders.
(countable) A haircut, especially a moderate one to touch up an existing style.
Dress; gear; ornaments.
* Sir Walter Scott
(countable) The manner in which something is equipped or adorned; order; disposition.
Sexual intercourse.
(nautical) The fore-and-aft angle of the vessel to the water, with reference to the cargo and ballast; the manner in which a vessel floats on the water, whether on an even keel or down by the head or stern.
(nautical) The arrangement of the sails with reference to the wind.
Physically fit.
:
Slender, lean.
:
Neat or smart in appearance.
:
*1599 , (William Shakespeare), (Much Ado About Nothing) ,
*:manhood is melted into curtsies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules that only tells a lie and swears it.
*
*:“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable,.
(nautical) In good order, properly managed or maintained.
(nautical) With sails well trimmed.
An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
* Spectator
To make the sound expressed by the word hem ; to hesitate in speaking.
* Shakespeare
(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
In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
(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.
In transitive terms the difference between trim and hem
is that trim is to decorate or adorn; especially, to decorate a Christmas tree while hem is : To surround something or someone in a confining way.As an adjective trim
is physically fit.As an adverb trim
is in good order, properly managed or maintained.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.trim
English
(wikipedia trim)Verb
- (present perfect example)
- A rotten building newly trimmed over.
- I was trimmed in Julia's gown.
citation, passage=The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. […] The bed was the most extravagant piece. Its graceful cane halftester rose high towards the cornice and was so festooned in carved white wood that the effect was positively insecure, as if the great couch were trimmed with icing sugar.}}
- The captain made us trim the boat, and we got her to lie a little more evenly.
- The hermit trimmed his little fire.
Noun
(en noun)- Paint the house white with blue trim .
- I went to the hairdresser for a trim but came back nearly bald.
- seeing him just pass the window in his woodland trim
- The car comes in three different trims .
- to be in good trim
- (Chapman)
Adjective
(trimmer)Adverb
(-)Usage notes
* More often used in combinations, eg, "trim-sailed".Anagrams
* ----hem
English
Etymology 1
A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)See also
* ahem * hawNoun
(en noun)- his morning hems
Verb
(hemm)- Hem , and stroke thy beard.
Derived terms
* hem and hawEtymology 2
From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hemm and related to Middle High German .Noun
(en noun)- hem of the sea
