• Edge

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /É›dÊ’/
    • Rhymes: -É›dÊ’

    Origin

    Middle English egge, from Old English ecg, from Proto-Germanic *agjō (compare Dutch egge, German Ecke, Swedish egg), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ("sharp") (compare Welsh hogi ("to sharpen, hone"), Latin aciēs ("sharp"), acus ("needle"), Latvian ašs, ass ("sharp"), Ancient Greek ἀκίς (akis, "needle"), ἀκμή (akmē, "point"), and Persian آس (ās, "grinding stone")).

    Full definition of edge

    Noun

    edge

    (plural edges)
    1. The boundary line of a surface.
    2. (geometry) A one-dimensional face of a polytope. In particular, the joining line between two vertices of a polygon; the place where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
    3. An advantage.
      I have the edge on him.
      • 2013, Paul Voss, Small Drones Deserve Sensible Regulation, It’s no secret that the United States may be losing its edge in civilian aviation. Nowhere is this more apparent than with small unmanned aircraft, those tiny flying robots that promise to transform agriculture, forestry, pipeline monitoring, filmmaking, and more.
    4. (also figuratively) The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument, such as an ax, knife, sword, or scythe; that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds deeply, etc.
      • circa 1611 William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act 3, Scene 4, 1818, The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, Volume 6, C. Whittingham, London, page 49,No, 'tis slander;
        Whose edge is sharper than the sword;
      • 1833, Adam Clarke (editor), Revelations, II, 12, The New Testament, page 929,And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges:
    5. A sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; an extreme verge.
      The cup is right on the edge of the table.
      He is standing on the edge of a precipice.
      • 1598, William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost, Act 4, Scene 1, 1830, George Steevens (editor), The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, Volume 1, page 166,Here by, upon the edge of yonder coppice;
        A stand, where you may make the fairest shoot.
      • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, 1824, Edwartd Hawkins (editor), The Poetical Works of John Milton, Volume 1, page 32,In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge
        Of battle when it rag'd, in all assaults
      • 1820, Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe, 1833, The Complete Works of Sir Walter Scott, Volume 3, page 9,...they never wanted the pretext, and seldom the will, to harass and pursue, even to the very edge of destruction, any of their less powerful neighbours....
    6. Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
      • a. 1667, Jeremy Taylor, Sermon X: The Faith and Patience of the Saints, Part 2, The Whole Sermons of Jeremy Taylor, 1841, page 69,Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by our vices.
      • 1820, Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe, 1827, page 175,...we are to turn the full edge of our indignation upon the accursed instrument, which had so well nigh occasioned his utter falling away.
    7. The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part; as, in the edge of evening.
      • 1853 (1670), John Milton, Charles R. Sumner (translator), The History of Britain, The Prose Works of John Milton, Volume V, page 203,...supposing that the new general, unacquainted with his army, and on the edge of winter, would not hastily oppose them.
    8. (cricket) A shot where the ball comes off the edge of the bat, often unintentionally.
      • 2004 March 29, R. Bharat Rao Short report: Ind-Pak T1D2 Session 1 in rec.sports.cricket, UsenetFinally another edge for 4, this time dropped by the keeper
    9. (graph theory) A connected pair of vertices in a graph.
    10. In male masturbation, a level of sexual arousal that is maintained just short of reaching the point of inevitability, or climax; see also edging.

    Synonyms

    Related terms

    Terms etymologically related to edge (noun)

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To move an object slowly and carefully in a particular direction.He edged the book across the table.
    2. (intransitive) To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.He edged away from her.
      • 2011, April 11, Phil McNulty, Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City, Carroll has been edging slowly towards full fitness after his expensive arrival from Newcastle United and his partnership with £23m Luis Suarez showed rich promise as Liverpool controlled affairs from start to finish.
    3. (usually in the form 'just edge') To win by a small margin.
    4. (cricket, transitive) To hit the ball with an edge of the bat, causing a fine deflection.
    5. (transitive) To trim the margin of a lawn where the grass meets the sidewalk, usually with an electric or gas-powered lawn edger.
    6. (transitive) To furnish with an edge; to construct an edging.
      • 2005, Paige Gilchrist, The Big Book of Backyard Projects: Walls, Fences, Paths, Patios, Benches, Chairs & More, Section 2: Paths and Walkways, page 181,If you're edging with stone, brick, or another material in a lawn area, set the upper surfaces of the edging just at or not more than ½ inch above ground level so it won't be an obstacle to lawn mowers.
    7. To furnish with an edge, as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
      • Drydento edge her champion's sword
    8. (figurative) To make sharp or keen; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
      • HaywardBy such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.
    9. (intransitive) To delay one's orgasm so as to remain almost at the point of orgasm.
      • 2011, Nicholson Baker, House of Holes, page 181“I think of it as mine, but, yes, it's his cock I've been edging with. Do you edge?”
      • 2012, Ryan Field, Lasting Lust: An Anthology of Kinky Couples in Love, page 33Paul had been edging since the first young guy started to fuck, and he wanted Paul to come inside his body that night.
      • 2012, Ryan Field, Field of Dreams: The Very Best Stories of Ryan Field, page 44His mouth was open and he was still jerking his dick. Justin knew he must have been edging by then.

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