(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is the difference between two amounts, especially the difference in the number of votes or points between the winner and the loser in an election or other contest.
They could end up with a 50-point winning ~...
The Sunday Times remains the brand leader by a huge ~...
N-COUNT: with supp
2.
The ~ of a written or printed page is the empty space at the side of the page.
She added her comments in the ~.
N-COUNT
3.
If there is a ~ for something in a situation, there is some freedom to choose what to do or decide how to do it.
The money is collected in a straightforward way with little ~ for error...
N-VAR: with supp
4.
The ~ of a place or area is the extreme edge of it.
...the low coastal plain along the western ~...
= edge, periphery
N-COUNT: with supp
5.
To be on the ~s of a society, group, or activity means to be among the least typical or least important parts of it.
Students have played an important role in the past, but for the moment, they’re on the ~s.
N-PLURAL: with supp
6.
see also profit ~