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edge

Pronunciation: /ɛdʒ/

Translate edge | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of edge

noun

  • 1the outside limit of an object, area, or surface:a willow tree at the water’s edge she perched on the edge of a desk
  • an area next to a steep drop:the cliff edge
  • [in singular] the point immediately before something unpleasant or momentous occurs:the economy was teetering on the edge of recession
  • 2the sharpened side of the blade of a cutting implement or weapon: a knife with a razor-sharp edge
  • [in singular] an intense, sharp, or striking quality:a flamenco singer brings a primitive edge to the music there was an edge of menace in his voice
  • 3 [in singular] a quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals:his cars have the edge over his rivals'
  • 4the line along which two surfaces of a solid meet.

verb

[with object]
  • 1provide with a border or edge:the pool is edged with paving
  • 2 [with adverbial of direction] move or cause to move gradually or furtively in a particular direction: [no object]:she tried to edge away from him [with object]:Hazel quietly edged him away from the others
  • 3give an intense or sharp quality to:the bitterness that edged her voice
  • 4 Cricket strike (the ball) with the edge of the bat; strike a ball delivered by (the bowler) with the edge of the bat: he edged a ball into his pad [no object]:Haynes edged to slip
  • 5 [no object] ski with one’s weight on the edges of one’s skis: you will be edging early, controlling a parallel turn

Phrases

on edge

tense, nervous, or irritable: never had she felt so on edge before an interview

on the edge of one's seat

informal very excited and giving one’s full attention to something: a faster-played sport would keep fans on the edge of their seats

set someone's teeth on edge

(especially of a harsh sound) cause someone to feel intense discomfort or irritation: the grating sound set her teeth on edge

take the edge off

reduce the intensity or effect of (something unpleasant or severe):the tablets will take the edge off the pain

Phrasal Verbs

edge someone out

  • 1narrowly defeat a rival or opponent:Portugal edged out Holland in the semi-final United edged out Rovers 4-2 on penalties
  • 2remove a person from an organization or role by indirect means:she was edged out of the organization by the director

Derivatives

edged

adjective
[in combination]:a black-edged handkerchief

edgeless

adjective

edger

noun

Origin:

Old English ecg 'sharpened side of a blade', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch egge and German Ecke, also to Old Norse eggja (see egg2), from an Indo-European root shared by Latin acies 'edge' and Greek akis 'point'

edge in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of edge in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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