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Hem In for Dummies

verb


What does Hem In really mean?

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Hem in means to surround or enclose someone or something within a limited space or boundaries. Imagine being caught in a large crowd, with people all around you, squeezing in closer and closer, until you can't move freely anymore. It's like being trapped in the middle of a group of people who are blocking your way from all sides, preventing you from going where you want to go. This is similar to what it means to hem someone in.

Let's dive a little deeper into this concept. Imagine you are playing a game of tag with your friends in a small backyard. The backyard is surrounded by a high fence, and there's only one small gate that allows you to leave. Now, let's say your friends want to tag you, but they don't want you to escape. They start running around you in different directions, trying to block your way to the gate. They are hemming you in, making it challenging for you to reach the gate and escape their reach.

You can also think of hemming in as being like when a bird is captured inside a cage. The cage's bars act as a boundary, enclosing the bird and preventing it from flying freely in the sky. The bird is hemmed in by the cage, restricted to move within a limited space.

In addition, hemming in can refer to limiting or constraining someone's options or choices. For example, imagine you have a big goal you want to achieve, like becoming a professional soccer player. But here's the catch – your parents tell you that you can only practice soccer in your backyard and nowhere else. They are hemming you in, restricting your training opportunities and potentially hindering your dream.

So, whether it's physically surrounding something or someone, or creating boundaries that limit their freedom, to hem in is to restrict and confine. It's like being stuck in a tight space, with limited room to move or maneuver.

Revised and Fact checked by John Doe on 2023-10-29 08:47:57

Hem In In a sentece

Learn how to use Hem In inside a sentece

  • When you build a fence around a garden, you hem in the plants and protect them from animals.
  • During a game of tag, if you surround your friend from all sides and prevent them from moving, you hem them in.
  • In a crowded subway, when people stand too closely and you find it difficult to move freely, you might feel hemmed in.
  • When there are cars parked on both sides of a narrow street, it can hem in other vehicles and make it hard for them to pass through.
  • Imagine being in a small room with no windows or doors, where you are confined and cannot escape. That's a situation where you would feel completely hemmed in.

Hem In Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Hem In Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

Hem In Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.