A sound uttered in imitation of clearing the throat (onomatopoeia)
From Middle English hem, hemm, in turn from Old English hemm, of West Germanic origin, from Proto-West Germanic *hammjan. Related to Middle High German hemmen ("to hem in"), Old Norse hemja ("to hem in, restrain"); outside of Germanic, to Armenian քամել ("to press, wring"), Russian ком ("lump").
The verb is from Middle English hemmen, from Old English hemman, from Proto-Germanic *hamjaną, or alternatively derived from the noun.
From Middle English hem, from Old English heom ("them"), originally a dative plural form but in Middle English coming to serve as an accusative plural as well. More at 'em.
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