Edge Meaning
/ɛd͡ʒ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe boundary line of a surface.
nounA 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.
Sentence Examples
I've been on edge recently.
I hit my funny bone on the edge of the table.
I gripped the edge of my desk to steady myself.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The hiker warned everyone not to fall off the ____ of the cliff.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I've been on ____ recently.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English egge, from Old English eċġ, from Proto-West Germanic *aggju, from Proto-Germanic *agjō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”). See also Dutch egge, German Ecke, Danish æg, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish egg; also Welsh hogi (“to sharpen, hone”), Latin aciēs (“sharp”), acus (“needle”), Latvian ašs, ass (“sharp”), Ancient Greek ἀκίς (akís, “needle”), ἀκμή (akmḗ, “point”), and Persian آس (âs, “grinding stone”)).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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."
— 2013 December, Paul Voss, “Small Drones Deserve Sensible Regulation”, in IEEE Spectrum:
"No, 'tis slander; / Whose edge is sharper than the sword;"
— 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], line 1818:
"Unlike a lot of the south of France, which, he said, “can be expensive, and a little too overdone and chi-chi for my tastes”, Marseille “has just the right amount of edge while being surrounded by incredibly stunning landscapes[…].”"
— 2024 September 9, Ellie Violet Bramley, quoting Tom Morris, “‘Just the right amount of edge’: how Marseille became 2024’s on-trend city”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
"Here by, upon the edge of yonder coppice; / A stand, where you may make the fairest shoot."
— c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
"In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge / Of battle when it rag'd, in all assaults"
— 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The hiker warned everyone not to fall off the ____ of the cliff.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I've been on ____ recently.