I. noun
also halm ˈhȯm, ˈhȧm
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English halm, from Old English healm; akin to Old High German halm straw, stem, Old Norse halmr straw, stem, Latin culmus stalk, Greek kalamos reed, Old Slavic slama straw
1. : the stems or tops of cultivated plants (as peas, beans, potatoes, and cereals) especially after the crop has been gathered : straw , litter
2. : an individual plant stem (as the culm of a grass)
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Britain : to arrange (straw) for thatching