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to hem in
01
to encircle someone or something in a way that restricts their movement or choices
Transitive: to hem in sb/sth
Examples
The construction site was hemmed in by tall fences for safety.
02
to restrict someone by enclosing them in a way that limits their movement or freedom
Transitive: to hem in sb
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
Movement verb
Regular
Separable
Particle
in
Base verb
hem
Present tense
hem in
3rd person singular
hems in
Present participle
hemming in
Past simple
hemmed in
Past participle
hemmed in
Examples
The soldiers hemmed in the enemy, cutting off all possible escape routes.
