verge

1
[ vurj ]
See synonyms for: vergeverging on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the edge, rim, or margin of something: the verge of a desert; to operate on the verge of fraud.

  2. the limit or point beyond which something begins or occurs; brink: on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

  1. a limiting belt, strip, or border of something.

  2. British. a narrow strip of turf bordering on a pathway, sidewalk, roadway, etc.

  3. a decorative border, as on or around an object, structural part, etc.

  4. limited room or scope for something: an action within the verge of one's abilities.

  5. an area or district subject to a particular jurisdiction.

  6. History/Historical. an area or district in England embracing the royal palace, being the jurisdiction of the Marshalsea Court.

  7. the part of a sloping roof that projects beyond the gable wall.

  8. Architecture. the shaft of a column or colonette.

  9. a rod, wand, or staff, especially one carried as an emblem of authority or of the office of a bishop, dean, or the like.

  10. Horology. a palletlike lever formerly used in inexpensive pendulum clocks.

  11. Obsolete. a stick or wand held in the hand of a person swearing fealty to a feudal lord on being admitted as a tenant.

verb (used without object),verged, verg·ing.
  1. to be on the edge or margin; border: Our property verges on theirs.

  2. to come close to or be in transition to some state, quality, etc. (usually followed by on): a statesman who verged on greatness; a situation that verged on disaster.

verb (used with object),verged, verg·ing.
  1. to serve as the verge or boundary of: a high hedge verging the yard.

Origin of verge

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English virge, verge “shaft, column, rod (hence boundary or jurisdiction symbolized by a steward's rod), rod of office, penis,” from Middle French, from Latin virga “shoot, twig, branch, rod”

Other words for verge

Words Nearby verge

Other definitions for verge (2 of 2)

verge2
[ vurj ]

verb (used without object),verged, verg·ing.
  1. to incline; tend (usually followed by to or toward): The economy verges toward inflation.

  2. to slope or sink.

Origin of verge

2
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin vergere “to turn, bend, be inclined”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use verge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for verge (1 of 2)

verge1

/ (vɜːdʒ) /


noun
  1. an edge or rim; margin

  2. a limit beyond which something occurs; brink: on the verge of ecstasy

  1. British a grass border along a road

  2. an enclosing line, belt, or strip

  3. architect the edge of the roof tiles projecting over a gable

  4. architect the shaft of a classical column

  5. an enclosed space

  6. horology the spindle of a balance wheel in a vertical escapement, found only in very early clocks

  7. English legal history

    • the area encompassing the royal court that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Lord High Steward

    • a rod or wand carried as a symbol of office or emblem of authority, as in the Church

    • a rod held by a person swearing fealty to his lord on becoming a tenant, esp of copyhold land

verb
  1. (intr foll by on) to be near (to): to verge on chaos

  2. (when intr, sometimes foll by on) to serve as the edge of (something): this narrow strip verges the road

Origin of verge

1
C15: from Old French, from Latin virga rod

British Dictionary definitions for verge (2 of 2)

verge2

/ (vɜːdʒ) /


verb
  1. (intr; foll by to or towards) to move or incline in a certain direction

Origin of verge

2
C17: from Latin vergere

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with verge

verge

In addition to the idiom beginning with verge

  • verge on

also see:

  • on the verge of

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.