verge Hear it!

verge¹ Definition

verge (vʉrj)

noun

    1. the edge, brink, or margin (of something): also used figuratively the verge of the forest, on the verge of hysteria
    2. Brit. a grassy border, as along a road
    1. an enclosing line or border; boundary, esp. of something more or less circular
    2. the area so enclosed
  1. the edge of the tiling that projects over a gable
  2. the spindle of a balance wheel in a clock with an old-style vertical escapement
  3. a rod or staff symbolic of an office, as that carried before a church official in processions
  4. Eng. Feudal Law a rod held in the hand by a feudal tenant as he swore fealty to his lord

Etymology: ME < OFr, rod, wand, stick, yard, hoop < L virga, twig, rod, wand < IE *wizga- < base *wei-, to bend, twist > wire, whisk

intransitive verb verged, verg·ing

to be on or as if on the verge, edge, brink, or border: usually with on or upon streets verging on the slum area, talk that verges on the ridiculous

verge² Definition

verge (vʉrj)

intransitive verb verged, verg·ing

  1. to tend or incline (to or toward)
  2. to be in the process of change or transition into something else; pass gradually (into) dawn verging into daylight

Etymology: L vergere, to bend, turn < IE *werg- < base *wer-, to turn, bend > warp, worm

verge Synonyms

verge

n.

on the verge of

not quite, at the point of, almost; see about to.

verge Synonyms

verge

v.

  1. To be on the brink

    border, end, edge, touch; see approach 2.

  2. To tend toward

    incline, lean, turn, swing toward; see tend 2.

verge Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • extinction: Against all odds, Manx Gaelic has clawed itself back from the verge of extinction over the past thirty years.
  • collapse: The food scare has now brought the British beef market to the verge of collapse; there is great unease among the people.
  • bankruptcy: Doyle is a member at Benson's Health Spa - an ailing gym on the verge of bankruptcy.
  • breakthrough: We seem to be on the verge of a breakthrough in understanding.
  • tear: SCULLY is on the verge of tears or laughter or both.
  • splitting: Belgium and Canada are on the verge of splitting apart because of linguistic differences.

Converse of object

overgrow: Mrs L Sharp Witton Road Grass and weeds from verge totally overgrown.

Adjective modifier

  • grassy: The more traditional horse drawn trailers are seen on many of the grassy verges throughout the area with horses tethered close by.
  • protected: Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii Summer 2002 was a disappointing year for Spotted Orchids on the local protected verge.
  • extreme: For a wager he rode his horse to the extreme verge of the cliff.
  • narrow: Poppy was put on a running tether to allow grazing on the narrow verge whilst I visited a feed store to buy some wormer.

Modifies a noun

  • escapement: Like the Wells Cathedral clock, it originally used a foliot balance with a verge escapement.
  • crossing: This is separate from the highway verge crossings which go to Hambleton DC and NYCC, tho many of them are also not agreed.
  • cutting: He would also raise the matter of verge cutting and pot holes.
  • marker: Are verge marker posts and snow poles required on both sides of the road?

Noun used with modifier

  • roadside: Roadside verges were also looking very dry around the island.
  • grass: Some of the liquid covering a grass verge had also dried out during the summer causing asbestos fibers to be released into the air.
  • highway: People keep parking their cars on the highway verge near my property which is making them unsightly, can you repair them?
  • motorway: Playing fields, parks, motorway verges are new sources of grassland.
  • road: There is limited parking on the wide road verge.

Browse dictionary entries near verge

  1. Vereeniging
  2. verdurous
  3. verdure
  4. Verdun
  5. verditer
  6. verdin
  7. verdigris
  8. verdict
  9. Verdicchio
  10. Verdi
  1. verger
  2. Vergil
  3. verglas
  4. Vergniaud, PierreVicturnien
  5. veridical
  6. veriest
  7. verifiable
  8. verification
  9. verify
  10. verifying