edge

1 of 2

noun

plural edges
1
a
: the cutting side of a blade
a razor's edge
b
: the sharpness of a blade
a knife with no edge
c(1)
: force, effectiveness
blunted the edge of the legislation
(2)
: vigor or energy especially of body
maintains his hard edge
d(1)
: incisive or penetrating quality
writing with a satirical edge
(2)
: a noticeably harsh or sharp quality
her voice had an edge to it
(3)
: a secondary but distinct quality
rock music with a bluesy edge
e
: keenness or intensity of desire or enjoyment
lost my competitive edge
2
a
: the line where an object or area begins or ends : border
on the edge of a plain
b
: the narrow part adjacent to a border
the edge of the deck
c(1)
: a point near the beginning or the end
especially : brink, verge
on the edge of disaster
(2)
: the threshold of danger or ruin
living on the edge
d
: a favorable margin : advantage
has an edge on the competition
3
: a line or line segment that is the intersection of two plane faces (as of a pyramid) or of two planes
4
edges : short fine hair that grows along a person's hairline : baby hair
With carefully finessed edges in delicate swoop and wave designs, hairstyles as simple as a high ponytail or sleek bob can quickly be transformed into a work of art …Devon Abelman
usually singular when used before another noun
edge styling
edgeless adjective

edge

2 of 2

verb

edged; edging

transitive verb

1
a
: to give an edge to
b
: to be on an edge of
trees edging the lake
2
: to move or force gradually
edged him off the road
3
: to incline (a ski) sideways so that one edge cuts into the snow
4
: to defeat by a small margin
often used with out
edged out her opponent

intransitive verb

: to advance by short moves
Phrases
on edge

Examples of edge in a Sentence

Noun They peered over the edge of the roof. The fabric was frayed at the edge. He made us all nervous by standing so close to the edge of the cliff. She sat on the edge of the counter, swinging her legs. the edge of an ax His voice had a sarcastic edge. These amendments will blunt the edge of the legislation. Verb Edge the sleeve with lace. She edged away from him. Gasoline prices have been edging upward. I edged my chair closer to the table.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Far from the cutting edge, these technology nodes nevertheless are used in the bulk of chipmaking, with 28 nm being the most advanced node using planar CMOS transistors instead of the more advanced FinFET devices. IEEE Spectrum, 6 Mar. 2024 Observers closest to the center of the path will experience the longest totality, and the length of that window decreases closer to the path’s edge. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Doctors, nurses, and patients around the world rely on our intelligent telehealth edge devices and virtual nursing, observation, and engagement applications to enhance clinical insights, patient safety, and efficiency. Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 With most of the games above, there are betting strategies that can lower the house edge to roughly 1%, giving you nearly a 50-50 shot with each deal, spin, or dice toss. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Each bite of this ham and cheese quiche recipe is the perfect combination of crispy edges and a soft custard-like center. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Both sides of this controller have rounded edges that fit naturally in my hand. Quentyn Kennemer, The Verge, 4 Mar. 2024 Erosion eats away the Del Mar bluffs at the average rate of 6 inches annually, bringing the railroad tracks ever closer to the cliff’s edge. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024 Winslet seems to relish pushing her characters — and herself — to the edge. Susan Dominus, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
Couples and groups of friends congregate at the adults-only pool that’s edged with luxe cabanas. Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Mortgage rates edge closer to 7%, dampening start of spring homebuying season US mortgage rates climbed for the fourth week in a row, inching closer to 7% just as peak homebuying season gets underway, reports my colleague Anna Bahney. Krystal Hur, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Against that backdrop, business software defied gravity, with the level of investment edging up 7.4% to $40 billion. Trevor Clawson, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 There’s also a covered private terrace, and the primary bathroom is like a mini spa with a generous soaking tub edged against the floor-to-ceiling glass windows for the ultimate bathing view. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2024 Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged 0.1% lower to 39,230.50. Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 The race ended in a three-wide photo finish in which Suarez narrowly edged Busch and Blaney. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2024 In India, the Sensex gained 0.7% and Bangkok's SET edged 0.1% higher. Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 When: Noon Saturday Where: Bonita Vista High School Preview: Torrey Pines edged Cathedral Catholic 2-1, then beat Westview in PKs in the semifinals. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'edge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English egge, going back to Old English ecg "cutting side of a blade, border," going back to Germanic *agjō "cutting side of a blade" (whence also Old Frisian eg "cutting side of a blade, sword," Old Saxon eggia, Old High German egga, ekka "cutting side of a blade, border, point, corner," Old Norse egg "cutting side of a blade"), feminine noun derivative from Indo-European *h2eḱ- "sharp, pointed," whence also Latin aciēs "sharp part of a weapon"

Note: The base *h2eḱ- "sharp, pointed" was productive of a large number of suffixed derivatives in the Indo-European daughter languages. Latin had a verbal base deriving from h2eḱ-eh1- "to be sharp" (see acetic acid, acid entry 2) and a presumed adjectival stem *acū- "sharp" (see acute). An apparently isolated derivative is Greek akmḗ "highest point" (see acme). For the derivative *h2eḱ-r-/h2oḱ-r-, with outcomes in Greek, Latin, and other languages, see acro-, mediocre. See also awn, ear entry 2.

Verb

Middle English eggen "to set (the teeth) on edge," derivative of egge edge entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of edge was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near edge

Cite this Entry

“Edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edge. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

edge

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: the cutting side of a blade
a knife's edge
b
: the sharpness of a blade
a razor with no edge
c
: a harsh or sharp quality
his voice had a sarcastic edge
2
a
: the line where an object or surface begins or ends
also : the narrow part next to it
the edge of the deck
b
: the line where two plane faces of a solid meet
an edge of the cube
3
: advantage sense 3
our experience gave us an edge
edged
ˈejd
adjective

edge

2 of 2 verb
edged; edging
1
: to give an edge to
edge a sleeve with lace
2
: to advance slowly or by short moves
edged my chair closer

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