— edgeless , adj.
/ej/ , n. , v. , edged, edging .
n.
1. a line or border at which a surface terminates: Grass grew along the edges of the road. The paper had deckle edges.
2. a brink or verge: the edge of a cliff; the edge of disaster.
3. any of the narrow surfaces of a thin, flat object: a book with gilt edges.
4. a line at which two surfaces of a solid object meet: an edge of a box.
5. the thin, sharp side of the blade of a cutting instrument or weapon.
6. the sharpness proper to a blade: The knife has lost its edge.
7. sharpness or keenness of language, argument, tone of voice, appetite, desire, etc.: The snack took the edge off his hunger. Her voice had an edge to it.
8. Brit. Dial. a hill or cliff.
9. an improved position; advantage: He gained the edge on his opponent.
10. Cards.
a. advantage, esp. the advantage gained by being the age or eldest hand.
b. See eldest hand .
11. Ice Skating. one of the two edges of a skate blade where the sides meet the bottom surface, made sharp by carving a groove on the bottom.
12. Skiing. one of the two edges on the bottom of a ski that is angled into a slope when making a turn.
13. have an edge on , Informal. to be mildly intoxicated with alcoholic liquor: He had a pleasant edge on from the sherry.
14. on edge ,
a. (of a person or a person's nerves) acutely sensitive; nervous; tense.
b. impatient; eager: The contestants were on edge to learn the results.
15. set one's teeth on edge . See tooth (def. 18).
v.t.
16. to put an edge on; sharpen.
17. to provide with an edge or border: to edge a terrace with shrubbery; to edge a skirt with lace.
18. to make or force (one's way) gradually by moving sideways.
19. Metalworking.
a. to turn (a piece to be rolled) onto its edge.
b. to roll (a piece set on edge).
c. to give (a piece) a desired width by passing between vertical rolls.
d. to rough (a piece being forged) so that the bulk is properly distributed for final forging.
v.i.
20. to move sideways: to edge through a crowd.
21. to advance gradually or cautiously: a car edging up to a curb.
22. edge in , to insert or work in or into, esp. in a limited period of time: Can you edge in your suggestion before they close the discussion?
23. edge out , to defeat (rivals or opponents) by a small margin: The home team edged out the visitors in an exciting finish.
[ bef. 1000; ME egge, OE ecg; c. G Ecke corner; akin to L acies, Gk akís point ]
Syn. 1. rim, lip. EDGE, BORDER, MARGIN refer to a boundary. An EDGE is the boundary line of a surface or plane: the edge of a table. BORDER is the boundary of a surface or the strip adjacent to it, inside or out: a border of lace. MARGIN is a limited strip, generally unoccupied, at the extremity of an area: the margin of a page.