em

[em]

(graphic arts)

A unit of linear measurement used in printing which is equal to the point size of the type; for example, an em in 6-point type is 6 points wide.

EM

Abbr. for “end matched.”

EM

End of Medium

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

em

(1) (EM) (ElectroMagnetic) See electromagnetic radiation.

(2) In typography, a unit of measure equal to the width of the capital letter "M" in a particular font. Ems are widely used in website typography as a basic unit of measure. Rather than using pixels, which is a fixed width on any screen, the default font size is set to ems, and all fonts on the page that are larger or smaller are designated as multiples or fractions of ems.

Em Dash, En Dash
The terms "em" and "en" are the dashes commonly found in typography, but which are not standard keyboard keys. An "em dash" (one em wide) is used to convey changes such as an abrupt break in thought, a digression or a change from one speaker to another. "En dashes" (width of letter N) are shorter and are used for ranges such as numbers and dates. Contrast with the hyphen, which is a regular text character used to separate telephone and account numbers.

Em and En Dashes in HTML

The mdash and ndash are the codes used to create em and en dashes on HTML pages, whereas the hyphen is a regular text character in HTML.

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References in classic literature

We'll indict the blackguards for felony, and get 'em shipped off to penal settlements.'

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They brought 'em from Spain and N' York and places.

Great things bigger than fifty 'ouses, bigger than the Crystal Palace--bigger, bigger than anything, flying about up in the air and whacking at each other and dead men fallin' off 'em. T'riffic!

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"Look here, sir," says the guard, after giving a sharp toot- toot; "there's two on 'em; out-and-out runners they be.

Now many coachmen as drives a first-rate team'd put it on, and try and pass 'em. But Bob, sir, bless you, he's tender-hearted; he'd sooner pull in a bit if he see'd 'em a-gettin' beat.

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Poyser, "for the men are mostly so slow, their thoughts overrun 'em, an' they can only catch 'em by the tail.

Poyser, "I know what the men like--a poor soft, as 'ud simper at 'em like the picture o' the sun, whether they did right or wrong, an' say thank you for a kick, an' pretend she didna know which end she stood uppermost, till her husband told her.

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Howsomever, the poor lad got sickly and died, and the father didn't live long after him, for he got queerer nor ever, and they said he used to go out i' the dead o' the night, wi' a lantern in his hand, to the stables, and set a lot o' lights burning, for he got as he couldn't sleep; and there he'd stand, cracking his whip and looking at his hosses; and they said it was a mercy as the stables didn't get burnt down wi' the poor dumb creaturs in 'em. But at last he died raving, and they found as he'd left all his property, Warrens and all, to a Lunnon Charity, and that's how the Warrens come to be Charity Land; though, as for the stables, Mr.

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"Rebecca'll have some new clothes now," said Delia, "and the land knows she needs 'em. Seems to me the Sawyer girls are gittin' turrible near!"

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"I got up slow," he explained, "because if tha' makes a quick move it startles 'em. A body 'as to move gentle an' speak low when wild things is about."

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'em in the open, he an' the Mexicans used to ride up an' rope them--catch them with lariats, you know.

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They an't pop'lar, and they an't common; but I stuck to 'em, sir; I've stuck to 'em, and realized well on 'em; yes, sir, they have paid their passage, I may say," and the trader laughed at his joke.

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