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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hem up en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (informal, transitive) To restrain (a person) by grabbing their collar.
    • Felicia and Jorge remained inside, observing in horror. Carlos hastily went to where his brother was and grabbed him with all his might. He placed him in a choke-hold and hemmed him up on the brick wall. 2014, Tiffany Bolado, The Legacy of Misperception, page 89:
    • Taking him home she hemmed him up soon as they stepped in the door. Now Tony was a bad dude in the streets but when it came to his mama, he was a punk. A few cuss words on her part had him spilling everything. 2006, Kali James, Can U Get Away?, page 17:
  2. (slang, transitive) To arrest or lock up.
    • The last thing you want is to get hemmed up in prison.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hemming up Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hemmed up Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hemmed up Tense=Past lexicographic
hems up Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic