seam
pronunciation
How to pronounce seam in British English: UK [siːm]
How to pronounce seam in American English: US [siːm]
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- Noun:
- joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
- a slight depression in the smoothness of a surface
- a stratum of ore or coal thick enough to be mined with profit
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- Verb:
- put together with a seam
Word Origin
- seam
- seam: [OE] A seam is etymologically a joint made by ‘sewing’. The word goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *saumaz (source also of German saum, Dutch zoom, Swedish söm, and Danish søm), which was derived from the base *sau-, the ancestor of English sew.=> sew
- seam (n.)
- Old English seam "seam, suture, junction," from Proto-Germanic *saumaz (cognates: Old Frisian sam "hem, seam," Old Norse saumr, Middle Dutch som, Dutch zoom, Old High German soum, German Saum "hem"), from PIE root *syu- "to sew, to bind" (cognates: Old English siwian, Latin suere, Sanskrit syuman; see sew).Chidynge and reproche ... vnsowen the semes of freendshipe in mannes herte. [Chaucer, "Parson's Tale," c. 1386]Meaning "raised band of stitching on a ball" is recorded from 1888. Geological use is from 1590s.
- seam (v.)
- 1580s, from seam (n.). Related: Seamed; seaming.
Synonym
Example
- 1. The seam should now be facing out .
- 2. The seam of the wide end should now be facing out .
- 3. The seam averages more than 50 meters wide - one of the world 's thickest - and 250 meters deep , though portions of it go down at least 600 meters .
- 4. A seam used in surgery .
- 5. To ensure a refund , they may even unpick a seam and complain that the garment is faulty .