EDGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does edge mean? 

• EDGE (noun)
  The noun EDGE has 6 senses:

1. the boundary of a surface

2. a line determining the limits of an area

3. a sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object

4. the attribute of urgency in tone of voice

5. a slight competitive advantage

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

  Familiarity information: EDGE used as a noun is common.

• EDGE (verb)
  The verb EDGE has 4 senses:

1. advance slowly, as if by inches

2. provide with a border or edge

3. lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

4. provide with an edge

  Familiarity information: EDGE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EDGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The boundary of a surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

border; edge

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 2

Meaning:

A line determining the limits of an area

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bound; boundary; edge

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)

Sense 3

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

he rounded the edges of the box

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

side (an extended outer surface of an object)

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

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)

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

Derivation:

edge (provide with an edge)

edge (provide with a border or edge)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The attribute of urgency in tone of voice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

edge; sharpness

Context example:

his voice had an edge to it

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

urgency (pressing importance requiring speedy action)

Derivation:

edgy (being in a tense state)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A slight competitive advantage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

he had an edge on the competition

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

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

Sense 6

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

the water's edge

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"):

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

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)

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)

• EDGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they edge    ... he / she / it edges   
Past simple: edged   
Past participle: edged   
-ing form: edging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Advance slowly, as if by inches

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

edge; inch

Context example:

He edged towards the car

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 2

Meaning:

Provide with a border or edge

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

border; edge

Context example:

edge the tablecloth with embroidery

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)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

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

Context example:

England marches with Scotland

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 4

Meaning:

Provide with an edge

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

edge a blade

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)

 Context examples 

Holmes edged his way round the wall and flinging the shutters together, he bolted them securely.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He sat down gingerly on the edge of the chair, greatly worried by his hands.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Might I ask you, Watson, to open that window, and then to put a match to the edge of the straw?

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

While attached Scorpios will have the edge, singles will have fun, too.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

I was in a terrible fright, and kept as far as I could from the edge, for fear of falling.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from a book.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The steel acquired a razor edge.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He was dazed for a moment, but when he saw the sunlight streaming in through the edges of the shutters he thought he was late, and expressed his fear.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

His forehead, which pressed upon the near edge of the plate, tilted the plate up against his hair at an angle of forty-five degrees.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)