edge

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Archived revision by TimothyL52 (talk | contribs) as of 19:46, 16 September 2022.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: Edge and EDGE

English

Etymology

From Middle English egge, from Old English eċġ, from Proto-West Germanic *aggju, from Proto-Germanic *agjō (compare Dutch egge, German Ecke, Swedish egg, Norwegian egg), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”) (compare Welsh hogi (“to sharpen, hone”), Latin aciēs (“sharp”), acus (“needle”), Latvian ašs, ass (“sharp”), Ancient Greek ἀκίς (akís, “needle”), ἀκμή (akmḗ, “point”), and Persian آس (ās, “grinding stone”)).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛd͡ʒ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (AU):(file)
  • Hyphenation: edge
  • Rhymes: -ɛdʒ

Noun

edge (plural edges)

  1. The boundary line of a surface.
  2. (geometry) A one-dimensional face of a polytope. In particular, the joining line between two vertices of a polygon; the place where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
  3. An advantage.
    I have the edge on him.
    • 2013 December, Paul Voss, “Small Drones Deserve Sensible Regulation”, in IEEE Spectrum:
      It’s no secret that the United States may be losing its edge in civilian aviation. Nowhere is this more apparent than with small unmanned aircraft, those tiny flying robots that promise to transform agriculture, forestry, pipeline monitoring, filmmaking, and more.
    • 2017 August 25, Euan McKirdy et al, "Arrest warrant to be issued for former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra", in edition.cnn.com, CNN:
      Thitinan said Yingluck's decision to skip the verdict hearing will have "emboldened" the military government. "They would not have wanted to put her in jail, in this scenario, (but her not showing up today) puts her on the back foot and gives them an edge."
  4. (also figuratively) The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument, such as an ax, knife, sword, or scythe; that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds deeply, etc.
    • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 828: Parameter "url" is not used by this template.
    • 1833, Adam Clarke (editor), Revelations, II, 12, The New Testament, page 929:
      And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges:
  5. A sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; an extreme verge.
    The cup is right on the edge of the table.
    He is standing on the edge of a precipice.
    • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
      Here by, upon the edge of yonder coppice; / A stand, where you may make the fairest shoot.
    • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC:
      In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge / Of battle when it rag'd, in all assaults
    • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 828: Parameter "url" is not used by this template.
  6. Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
    • a. 1667 Jeremy Taylor, Sermon X: The Faith and Patience of the Saints, Part 2, The Whole Sermons of Jeremy Taylor, 1841, page 69:
      Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by our vices.
    • 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 175:
      we are to turn the full edge of our indignation upon the accursed instrument, which had so well nigh occasioned his utter falling away.
  7. The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part (of a period of time)
    in the edge of evening
    • 1670, John Milton, The History of Britain, The Prose Works of John Milton, published 1853, Volume V, page 203
      supposing that the new general, unacquainted with his army, and on the edge of winter, would not hastily oppose them.
  8. (cricket) A shot where the ball comes off the edge of the bat, often unintentionally.
    • 2004 March 29, R. Bharat Rao Short report: Ind-Pak T1D2 Session 1 in rec.sports.cricket, Usenet
      Finally another edge for 4, this time dropped by the keeper
  9. (graph theory) A connected pair of vertices in a graph.
  10. A level of sexual arousal that is maintained just short of reaching the point of inevitability, or climax.

Synonyms

Hyponyms

Hyponyms of edge (noun)

Derived terms

Proper names
employing this term at the beginning
employing this term elsewhere

Translations

Verb

edge (third-person singular simple present edges, present participle edging, simple past and past participle edged)

  1. (transitive) To move an object slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
    He edged the book across the table.
    The muggers edged her into an alley and demanded money.
  2. (intransitive) To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
    He edged away from her.
    • 2011 April 11, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport‎[1]:
      Carroll has been edging slowly towards full fitness after his expensive arrival from Newcastle United and his partnership with £23m Luis Suarez showed rich promise as Liverpool controlled affairs from start to finish.
  3. (usually in the form 'just edge') To win by a small margin.
  4. (cricket, transitive) To hit the ball with an edge of the bat, causing a fine deflection.
  5. (transitive) To trim the margin of a lawn where the grass meets the sidewalk, usually with an electric or gas-powered lawn edger.
  6. (transitive) To furnish with an edge; to construct an edging.
    • 2005, Paige Gilchrist, The Big Book of Backyard Projects: Walls, Fences, Paths, Patios, Benches, Chairs & More, Section 2: Paths and Walkways, page 181,
      If you're edging with stone, brick, or another material in a lawn area, set the upper surfaces of the edging just at or not more than ½ inch above ground level so it won't be an obstacle to lawn mowers.
  7. To furnish with an edge, as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
    • 1690, [John] Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: […], London: […] Jo. Hindmarsh, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
      To edge her champion sword
  8. (figurative) To make sharp or keen; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
    • a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC:
      By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.
  9. (intransitive, slang) To delay one's orgasm so as to remain almost at the point of orgasm.
    • 2011, Nicholson Baker, House of Holes‎[2], page 181:
      “I think of it as mine, but, yes, it's his cock I've been edging with. Do you edge?”
    • 2012, Ryan Field, Field of Dreams: The Very Best Stories of Ryan Field, page 44
      His mouth was open and he was still jerking his dick. Justin knew he must have been edging by then.

Translations

Derived terms

(See above.)

Quotations

  • 1925, Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), Rupert Julian (director), The Phantom of the Opera, silent movie
    In Mlle. Carlotta’s correspondence there appeared another letter, edged in black!

Further reading

Anagrams

Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=edge&oldid=69289013"