Edged
ˈɛdʒd
Definitions
3 meaningsTo provide something with an edge or border; to move gradually in a specific direction.
ˈɛdʒd
To provide with an edge or border.
The artist carefully edged the canvas with a thin, gold frame.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're putting a nice border on a picture frame, that's edging. It also means moving slowly, like when you're being careful.
👶 For kids: Making a line around something, like drawing a line on the side of your paper. It can also mean to go somewhere slowly.
More Examples
The ship edged closer to the harbor, navigating through the fog.
She edged her way through the crowded room.
How It's Used
"The carpenter edged the wooden plank with a decorative trim."
"She edged the pie crust with a fork to create a fluted design."
To move gradually and cautiously, often sideways.
ˈɛdʒd
To move sideways, slowly, and cautiously.
She edged closer to the fire to warm herself.
💡 Simply: Like when you're trying to sneak past someone, you might edge slowly to the side to avoid them. It's a slow, careful movement.
👶 For kids: To walk carefully on the side, like if you were walking on a very narrow path or trying to go somewhere without being noticed.
More Examples
The car edged its way through the dense traffic.
He edged into the conversation hesitantly.
How It's Used
"He edged along the narrow ledge, afraid of falling."
"The team edged out their rivals in a close game."
To gain a small advantage or victory.
ˈɛdʒd
To gain a slight advantage.
The candidate edged ahead in the polls.
💡 Simply: Imagine two teams playing a game, and one of them barely wins. They edged out the other team, meaning they won by a tiny bit.
👶 For kids: To win a game or contest by just a little bit!
More Examples
The film edged out the competition at the box office.
She edged her way to the top position.
How It's Used
"The home team edged out their opponent in the final seconds."
"The company edged up their profits slightly this quarter."
Idioms & expressions
on edge
Nervous, anxious, or irritable.
"I was on edge all day, waiting for the exam results."
the cutting edge
The most advanced or innovative stage of development.
"The company is at the cutting edge of technology."
From Middle English egged, past participle of eggen ('to edge'), from Old English ecge ('edge').
The word 'edged' has been used in various contexts, from describing physical borders to metaphorical situations like gaining a slight advantage, reflecting the changing nature of language and its adaptation to different situations.
Memory tip
Imagine adding a sharp edge to a dull object. Or moving carefully.
Word Origin
"to put an edge on something"