/si:m; sim/
n
1 (a) line along which two edges, esp of cloth, are joined or sewn together （两边缘相接合的）缝（尤指布的）
*the seams down the side of his trousers 他裤子的边缝. =>illus at sew 见sew插图.
(b) line where two edges meet, eg of boards forming a ship's deck （两边缘相接合的）线（如甲板间的）.
2 layer, eg of coal, between layers of other materials, eg rock, clay （夹层中的）层（如石层、黏土层之间的煤层）; 矿层.
3 line on a surface, eg a wrinkle or scar on skin （物体表面的）纹, 线（如皮肤上的皱纹或伤疤）.
4 (idm 习语) be bursting at the seams => burst1.

v [Tn] join (two pieces of cloth, etc) by means of a seam 将（两块布等）缝合, 接合.

n[C]
[Language: Old English;]
a line where two pieces of cloth, leather etc have been stitched together
　She was repairing Billy's trousers, where the seam had come undone.
　Join the shoulder seams together.
a layer of a mineral under the ground
seam of coal/iron etc
be coming/falling apart at the seams
a) if a plan, organization etc is coming apart at the seams, so many things are going wrong with it that it will probably fail
　The health service seems to be falling apart at the seams.
b) if a piece of clothing is coming apart at the seams, the stitches on it are coming unfastened
be bursting/bulging at the seams
if a room or building is bursting at the seams, it is so full of people that hardly anyone else can fit into it
a (rich) seam of sth
a thing, place, or group from which a type of thing can be obtained
　The 466-page book is a rich seam of statistical information.
a line where two pieces of metal, wood etc have been joined together