/ wedʒ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a piece of wood, rubber, metal, etc. with one thick end and one thin pointed end that you use to keep a door open, to keep two things apart, or to split wood or rock :
He hammered the wedge into the crack in the stone.
( figurative )
I don't want to drive a wedge between the two of you (= to make you start disliking each other) .
2.
something that is shaped like a wedge or that is used like a wedge :
a wedge of cake
3.
a golf club that has the part that you hit the ball with shaped like a wedge
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IDIOMS
see thin adjective
■ verb
1.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to put or squeeze sth tightly into a narrow space, so that it cannot move easily
SYN jam :
The boat was now wedged between the rocks.
She wedged herself into the passenger seat.
2.
to make sth stay in a particular position, especially open or shut, by placing sth against it :
[ vn - adj ]
to wedge the door open
[also vn ]
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English wecg (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wig .