I. ej noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English egge, from Old English ecg; akin to Old Saxon eggia edge of a blade, edge, Old High German ecka, Old Norse & Old Frisian egg, Latin acies sharp edge, point, acer sharp, Greek akmē point, edge, Late Greek akē point, Sanskrit aśri corner, angle, edge
1.
a. : the cutting side of the blade of an instrument
the edge of an ax
b. archaic : an edged weapon or tool
c. : the sharpness or degree of sharpness of a blade
the sickle has no edge
d.
(1) obsolete : ardor or inclination especially for battle
(2) : force , effectiveness
local resistance blunted the edge of radical legislation at Washington
: vigor or energy especially of mind and body
he looked and acted flabby; the edge of him was gone — Carleton Beals
: incisive or penetrating quality (as of thought or expression)
the cutting edge of Machiavelli's irony — E.R.Bentley
: a quality of hardness, harshness, or bite
his voice had an edge like ice — John Buchan
your goodness must have an edge in it — else it is none — R.W.Emerson
(3) : keenness or intensity especially of desire or enjoyment
when they'd taken the edge off their own hunger — Kenneth Roberts
: relish , zest , savor
flying bombs … gave a brilliant edge of chance to homely days and nights — Audrey Barker
: spur , stimulus
to give more edge to the contest, he felt for his rival the bitter hate that … was typically Venetian — T.B.Costain
2.
a. : the extreme verge or brink (as of a cliff or precipice)
b. : the crest of a ridge of hills : the escarpment of a plateau
3.
a. : the line or point where a material object or area begins or ends : border
the town stands on the edge of a plain
a smoldering hulk, burned to the water's edge — H.A.Chippendale
also : the portion of the surface of an object or area that is adjacent to its border
walked on the edge of the deck
b. : a point near the beginning or the end (as of an era, condition, subject, or action) : a dividing line or line of transition from one state or condition to another : margin — often used in the phrase on the edge
science stood on the edge of a major theoretical advance
her body hovered delicately on the last edge of childhood — Scott Fitzgerald
many of the ranches … are on the edge of bankruptcy — H.W.Baldwin
was on the edge of screaming
4. obsolete : edging , border
5. : a terminating border
the edge of a tablecloth
: a line that is the intersection of two plane faces of a solid object
the edges of a pyramid
: the relatively thin surface or side of any object bounded by plane surfaces
the edge of a book
6.
a. : the inside or outside verge of the blade of a skate
b. : a skating stroke including appropriate body lean made on one edge of the blade of a skate
a forward inside edge
also : the resultant pattern cut in the ice
7. : the privilege in poker of betting last after the other players have revealed their intentions — called also age
8. : a favorable margin : advantage
had the edge on top speed — A.S.Kramer
the open spaces that gave the suburb … an edge over the city — Lewis Mumford
a decisive edge in military strength
9. slang : a condition of being intoxicated : degree of intoxication
got a good edge on — Ernest Hemingway
Synonyms: see border
•
- on edge
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English eggen, from egge, n.
transitive verb
1. : to give an edge to
asked him to edge the ax
hurt resentment edged his wife's voice — G.G.Carter
2. obsolete : to set (one's teeth) on edge
3.
a.
(1) : to finish (an edge) with a binding, band, strip, or trimming
edge a blouse with lace
edge a plywood counter
(2) : to decorate an edge of (as a book)
(3) : to level an edge of (a rafter) ; also : to square an edge of
b. : to serve as a border to : fringe
warehouses and terminals edge the 25-mile waterfront — L.A.Borah
: be on an edge of
grew up in a community still edging the wilderness — H.M.Kallen
now edging sixty, he retains all his vigor
4. archaic : to urge or egg on
5. : to move gradually or by pressing forward edgewise
edged his master out of hearing — George Meredith
edge him off the road
: force (as from a position) by the application of pressure
edging his foes out of every position of influence
: displace
machine-made muslins and calicoes have been edging out native-made muslins — John Murra
6.
a. : to strike (a bowled ball) in cricket with the edge of the bat
b. : to incline (a ski) sideways so that one edge cuts into the surface of the snow
intransitive verb
: to move in one direction by degrees
edged over the open plains toward the western extremities of the country — Oscar Handlin
edge away from his responsibilities
: move edgeways
began to edge along the front of the bureau — Berton Roueché