Middle English Dictionary Entry
hem n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hem n. Also heme, hemme, hemn(e. |
| Etymology | OE hem |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The edge of a cloth or garment, border, fringe; ~ lace, a cord or lace to form a border; coler ~; cote ~; sho ~; (b) as a symbol of pride or ostentation [cp. Mat. 23.5]; (c) edge, boundary, margin; (d) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.242].
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Gloss.Sidonius (Dgb 172)59/20 fn. : Et est proprie sirma anglice hem i. margo femineae uestis.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4995 : Hire hem heo up i-tæh, hire cneon he wes swiðe nehi.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)167 : Þis ilke ston þat ich þe nemne Mayden-hod i-cleoped is..Þe hwile þu hyne witest vnder þine hemme, Þu ert swetture þat [read: þan] eny spis.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3663 : So mani y-slawe þer be..Þat men miȝt wade ouer þe scho hem In þe blod.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.28.32 : Þe cote..in whose mydill abown schall be ane hode & a weuyd hemme [L ora] by enuyron of it as is wont to be made in þe eendis [WB(2): hemmes; L extremis] of cloþis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.14.36 : Thei preyiden hym that thei shulden touche ether the hem [WB(2): hemme; L fimbriam] of the clothing of hym.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)199b/a : It draweþ to it self all leues and strawes and hemmes [L fimbrias] of cloþes as magnas draweþ Iren.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)217 : Pyȝt watz poyned & vche a hemme, At honde, at sydez, at ouerture, Wyth whyte perle.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)514 : The hemme of my smok that hath byclipped my feet.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)3112 : Myght þai bat touche hys cote heme Þai suld be hale withouten weme.
- (1422-3) Acc.Met.Col.in Archaeol.J.665 : Pro lacys et hemlacys, emptis pro vestimentis.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)31/240 : His shose war wroght..With gold bordures obout þe hems.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.59 : If Y touche þe hemn of þe cote of Jesus, Y shal be safe.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)40 : The kyng showyd to the Erchebisshop a grete Owche off golde, by the hemme off the kyngis cote.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.171r : A mayde .. that me cleped Herlote .. when sheo was brought to the dukes bedde and shulde go therto she toke her smok aboue atte coler hem and rent hit doune to the foot and leide hit awey fram hure.
- (1448) Pet.Hen.VI in Archaeol.168 : Item xxiij unces and iij quarter hemlace and ffryslace..Item xiiij unces hemlace.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)128 : With full riche rubyes raylede by the hemmes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)62b : Hemne: fimbria limbus, lacinia, ora.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)734 : Hec fimbria, a heme.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.23.5 : Thei alargen her filateries..and magnyfie hemmys.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6912 : Her bordurs larger maken they, And make her hemmes wide alwey.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)107/25 : If þei wer þe first þat schuld puplysch þese grete myracles of her mayster, men myth sey of hem, as Crist ded of þe Pharisees, þat þei magnified her owne hemmys.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)126 : In the same wyse wol the prowde man be sen, & sprede his hemmys [Add: maken hem self gaye].
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)551 : Þei..launceþ heiȝe her hemmes wiþ babelyng in stretes.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)25 : Ure fader..feide..to elche lime limpliche mihte and swo digeliche hit al dihte þat on elche feinge is hem on sene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)158a/b : This see occean biclippeþ þe hemmes of londes.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1001 : Jasper hyȝt þe fyrst gemme..He glente grene in þe lowest hemme Saffer helde þe secounde stale.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1359 : Thes wirchipfulle knyghtez..tuke wynde as they walde by the wodde hemmes.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)36b/b : Þis pannycle..is as a mene ouerþwert þe body wiþinne forþ and his hemme or brymme ys reflectid or bowid wel an ynche vpward where he cleueþ wiþ þe laste ribbe saue oon.
d
- (1182) in Ekwall Dict.EPN222 : Hemma.
- (1270) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames96 : Rog. de la hemme.
- (1300) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames96 : Joh. en la Heme.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.108 : [The manor] del Hem.