Library / English Dictionary

EDGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object

Example:

he rounded the edges of the box

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

side (an extended outer surface of an object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "edge"):

bevel; cant; chamfer (two surfaces meeting at an angle different from 90 degrees)

bezel (a sloping edge on a cutting tool)

brim; lip; rim (the top edge of a vessel or other container)

curb; curbing; kerb (an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter))

deckle; deckle edge (rough edge left by a deckle on handmade paper or produced artificially on machine-made paper)

featheredge (a thin tapering edge)

groin (a curved edge formed by two intersecting vaults)

cutting edge; knife edge (the sharp cutting side of the blade of a knife)

leading edge (forward edge of an airfoil)

milling (corrugated edge of a coin)

razor edge (an edge that is as sharp as the cutting side of a razor)

trailing edge (the rear edge of an airfoil)

Derivation:

edge (provide with an edge)

edge (provide with a border or edge)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The outside limit of an object or area or surface; a place farthest away from the center of something

Example:

the water's edge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

demarcation; demarcation line; limit (the boundary of a specific area)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "edge"):

roadside; wayside (edge of a way or road or path)

berm; shoulder (a narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road)

selvage; selvedge (the edge of a fabric that is woven so that it will not ravel or fray)

border; molding; moulding (a decorative recessed or relieved surface on an edge)

luff ((nautical) the forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail that is next to the mast)

hem (the edge of a piece of cloth; especially the finished edge that has been doubled under and stitched down)

border (a strip forming the outer edge of something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A slight competitive advantage

Example:

he had an edge on the competition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

favorable position; favourable position; superiority (the quality of being at a competitive advantage)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The attribute of urgency in tone of voice

Example:

his voice had an edge to it

Synonyms:

edge; sharpness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

urgency (pressing importance requiring speedy action)

Derivation:

edgy (being in a tense state)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The boundary of a surface

Synonyms:

border; edge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

bound; boundary; bounds (the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "edge"):

brink (the edge of a steep place)

limb ((astronomy) the circumferential edge of the apparent disc of the sun or the moon or a planet)

Derivation:

edge (provide with a border or edge)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A line determining the limits of an area

Synonyms:

bound; boundary; edge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("edge" is a kind of...):

line (a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "edge"):

rim (the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object)

border; margin; perimeter (the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary)

fringe; outer boundary; periphery (the outside boundary or surface of something)

brink; threshold; verge (a region marking a boundary)

upper bound ((mathematics) a number equal to or greater than any other number in a given set)

lower bound ((mathematics) a number equal to or less than any other number in a given set)

thalweg (the middle of the chief navigable channel of a waterway that forms the boundary line between states)

Derivation:

edge (lie adjacent to another or share a boundary)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Provide with an edge

Example:

edge a blade

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "edge" is one way to...):

sharpen (make sharp or sharper)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

edge (a sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

Example:

England marches with Scotland

Synonyms:

abut; adjoin; border; butt; butt against; butt on; edge; march

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "edge" is one way to...):

adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "edge"):

neighbor; neighbour (be located near or adjacent to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

edge (a line determining the limits of an area)

edging (border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Advance slowly, as if by inches

Example:

He edged towards the car

Synonyms:

edge; inch

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "edge" is one way to...):

advance; go on; march on; move on; pass on; progress (move forward, also in the metaphorical sense)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

edge in (push one's way into (a space))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Provide with a border or edge

Example:

edge the tablecloth with embroidery

Synonyms:

border; edge

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "edge" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

edge (a sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object)

edge (the boundary of a surface)

edger (garden tool for cutting grass around the edges of a yard)

edger (a person who puts finishing edges on a garment)

Credits

 Context examples: 

She did draw him up, but when he came near the edge, she stretched down her hand and wanted to take the blue light away from him.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

On or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area.

(Peripheral, NCI Thesaurus)

The soft flap of tissue that hangs down at the back of the mouth (at the edge of the soft palate).

(Palatine uvula, NCI Dictionary)

We saw many ruined castles standing on the edges of precipices, surrounded by black woods, high and inaccessible.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Once out upon the road, Black Dog, in spite of his wound, showed a wonderful clean pair of heels and disappeared over the edge of the hill in half a minute.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Indicates the absence of tumor cells at the edge of a surgically excised specimen.

(Negative Surgical Margin, NCI Thesaurus)

A valve that is hinged on one edge.

(Flap Valve Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

Anyone of the short hairs that grow on the edge of the eyelid.

(Eyelash, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about whether an individual feels or felt nervous, anxious or on edge.

(Feeling Nervous, Anxious or on Edge, NCI Thesaurus)

A slender projection of the plasma membrane at the leading edge of migrating cells.

(Filopodia, NCI Thesaurus)