HEDGE


Meaning of HEDGE in English

I. hedge 1 /hedʒ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]

[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hecg ]

1 . a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, usually dividing one field or garden from another

2 . something that protects you against possible problems, especially financial loss

hedge against

Buying a house will be a hedge against inflation.

⇨ look as if you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards at ↑ drag 1 (13)

• • •

THESAURUS

■ areas and structures in a garden

▪ lawn [countable] an area of short grass in a garden:

They were sitting on the front lawn of the house.

▪ flowerbed [countable] an area of ground where you grow flowers:

The flowerbeds were well maintained.

▪ rockery [countable] British English an area of a garden where there are rocks with small flowers growing between them

▪ hedge [countable] a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, used for dividing one garden from another:

a beech hedge

▪ vegetable patch/plot [countable] ( also kitchen garden British English ) a part of a garden where you grow vegetables

▪ patio [countable] a flat stone area next to a house, where people sit outside

▪ decking [uncountable] a flat wooden area in a garden, where people can sit

▪ pond [countable] a small area of water in a garden

▪ water feature [countable] a small pool or structure with water running through it, used to make a garden look more attractive

▪ greenhouse [countable] a glass building where you can grow plants that need protection from the weather

▪ shed [countable] a small wooden building in a garden, where you can store things

II. hedge 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle hedged , present participle hedging ) [intransitive and transitive]

1 . to avoid giving a direct answer to a question:

You’re hedging again – have you got the money or haven’t you?

‘That depends on my partner,’ she hedged.

2 . hedge your bets to reduce your chances of failure or loss by trying several different possibilities instead of one:

It’s a good idea to hedge your bets by applying to more than one college.

hedge against something phrasal verb

to try to protect yourself against possible problems, especially financial loss:

Smart managers will hedge against price increases.

hedge in phrasal verb be hedged in

1 . to be surrounded or enclosed by something:

The building was hedged in by trees.

2 . if you feel hedged in by something, you feel that your freedom is restricted by it

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.