hem in
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To surround or enclose someone or something in a way that restricts movement or freedom. It implies being confined or trapped within a limited space.
Usage
The verb "hem in" is used to describe a situation where a person, group, or object is completely surrounded, leaving little or no room to move or escape. It often carries a negative connotation of feeling trapped, restricted, or pressured. * It is a phrasal verb where "hem" is the main verb and "in" is the particle. The object can be placed between "hem" and "in" (e.g., hem someone in) or after the particle (e.g., hem in someone), though the former is more common. * It can be used in both literal (physical) and figurative (non-physical) contexts.
Examples
- Literal (Physical):
- The protesters were hemmed in by police barriers on all sides.
- Tall skyscrapers hemmed the small park in, blocking the sunlight.
- Figurative (Non-Physical):
- She felt hemmed in by her family's expectations and strict rules.
- The new regulations hem in the company's ability to innovate.
Advanced Usage
- Passive Voice: Very commonly used to emphasize the state of being trapped.
- After the landslide, the village was completely hemmed in and unreachable.
- To be hemmed in: A common stative construction describing the resulting condition.
- With debts rising, the government is hemmed in with few good options.
Variants and Related Words
- Hem (verb): The base verb, most commonly used in the phrase "hem in" or "hem and haw" (to hesitate or be evasive in speech). On its own, it typically means to fold and sew down the edge of cloth.
- Encircle: To form a circle around something.
- Envelop: To completely surround or cover something.
Synonyms
- Surround
- Encircle
- Confine
- Enclose
- Trap
- Box in
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Box in: To prevent someone or something from moving by surrounding them. Very similar in meaning to "hem in."
- The clever strategy boxed in the opponent's king.
- Fence in: To surround an area with a fence; figuratively, to restrict someone's freedom.
- He felt fenced in by his office job.
Related Idioms
- To have one's back against the wall: To be in a difficult situation with limited options. This is a close figurative synonym for feeling "hemmed in."
- With the deadline approaching and no solution, the team had their backs against the wall.
Verb
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surround so as to force to give up
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The Turks besieged Vienna
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surround in a restrictive manner
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The building was hemmed in by flowers
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