seam
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the line where two pieces of cloth are sewn together.
n.the line formed by the joining of two or more pieces of fabric, leather, or other material, typically by stitching.
Simple“The seam on the shoulder of my jacket started to come apart.”
In context“The tailor reinforced the inner seam of the trousers to prevent the fabric from fraying under constant tension.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a thin layer of a mineral, like coal, found between layers of rock.
n.a distinct, relatively thin stratum of an economically useful mineral or rock, such as coal or ore.
Simple“The miners discovered a rich seam of coal deep underground.”
In context“Geological surveys indicated that the coal seam extended several miles eastward, though its thickness varied considerably across the basin.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the line of stitches around a cricket ball that affects how it bounces.
n.the raised equatorial stitching on a cricket ball; also refers to the lateral movement of the ball upon pitching on this stitching.
Simple“The bowler used the seam of the ball to make it change direction.”
In context“The opening bowler exploited the humid conditions, landing the ball consistently on the seam to generate unpredictable lateral movement.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to join two pieces of material together with a line of stitches.
v.to join two pieces of material by creating a seam; often used in manufacturing or tailoring contexts.
Simple“The machine can seam the edges of the fabric very quickly.”
In context“The automated system is designed to seam heavy-duty canvas panels together with high precision for industrial use.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
v.to mark a surface with a line or a scar.
v.to mark a surface with a line, wrinkle, or scar; often used in a literary sense to describe a face.
Simple“Years of hard work had seamed his face with deep lines.”
In context“The rugged landscape was seamed with ancient dry riverbeds that glowed red in the setting sun.”
From Middle English seem, seme, from Old English sēam (“seam”), from Proto-West Germanic saum, from Proto-Germanic saumaz (“that which is sewn”).
From the noun seam.
From Old English sēam (“a burden”), from Latin sagma (“saddle”).
From Middle English seym (“grease”), from Old French saim (“fat”). Compare French saindoux (“lard”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.