Part 791

A waiting woman was generally considered as the most suitable helpmate for a parson.

Macaulay.

Help"meet` (?), n. [See Helpmate.] A wife; a helpmate.

The Lord God created Adam, . . . and afterwards, on his finding the want of a helpmeet, caused him to sleep, and took one of his ribs and thence made woman.

J. H. Newman.

Hel"ter-skel"ter (?), adv. [An onomat&?;poetic word. Cf. G. holter-polter, D. holder de bolder.] In hurry and confusion; without definite purpose; irregularly. [Colloq.]

Helter-skelter have I rode to thee.

Shak.

A wistaria vine running helter-skelter across the roof.

J. C. Harris.

Helve (?), n. [OE. helve, helfe, AS. hielf, helf, hylf, cf. OHG. halb; and also E. halter, helm of a rudder.] 1. The handle of an ax, hatchet, or adze.

2. (Iron Working) (a) The lever at the end of which is the hammer head, in a forge hammer. (b) A forge hammer which is lifted by a cam acting on the helve between the fulcrum and the head.

Helve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Helved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Helving.] To furnish with a helve, as an ax.

Hel*ve"tian (?), a. Same as Helvetic. -- n. A Swiss; a Switzer.

Hel*ve"tic (?), a. [L. Helveticus, fr. Helvetii the Helvetii.] Of or pertaining to the Helvetii, the ancient inhabitant of the Alps, now Switzerland, or to the modern states and inhabitant of the Alpine regions; as, the Helvetic confederacy; Helvetic states.

{ Hel"vine (?), Hel"vite (?), } n. [L. helvus of a light bay color.] (Min.) A mineral of a yellowish color, consisting chiefly of silica, glucina, manganese, and iron, with a little sulphur.

Hem (hm), pron. [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. h he. See He, They.] Them [Obs.] Chaucer.

Hem, interj. An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation, doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm.

Cough or cry hem, if anybody come.

Shak.

Hem, n. An utterance or sound of the voice, hem or hm, often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention. "His morning hems." Spectator.

Hem, v. i. [√15. See Hem, interj.] To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking. "Hem, and stroke thy beard." Shak.

Hem, n. [AS. hem, border, margin; cf. Fries. h‰mel, Prov. G. hammel hem of mire or dirt.] 1. The edge or border of a garment or cloth, doubled over and sewed, to strengthen it and prevent raveling.

2. Border; edge; margin. "Hem of the sea." Shak.

3. A border made on sheet-metal ware by doubling over the edge of the sheet, to stiffen it and remove the sharp edge.

Hem, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hemmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Hemming.] 1. To form a hem or border to; to fold and sew down the edge of. Wordsworth.

2. To border; to edge

All the skirt about Was hemmed with golden fringe.