Basic+ Word of the Day: edge

edge (noun, verb) past tense: edged

An edge is a line at which the surface ends.

• The hiker walked over to the edge of the cliff.
• The car drove very close to the edge of the road.

An edge is also the the sharp side of a cutting instrument.

• His father sharpened the edge of the knife.

Edge also means ‘to move gradually and cautiously.’

• The boy edged slowly out of the room so he would not wake his grandfather.

Common uses

on edge: tense or nervous. Example: “The artist was on edge until his client approved of her portrait.”

have an edge: to have an advantage. Example: “Tall basketball players have an edge over shorter opponents.”

In pop culture

Living on the edge means ‘having a risky lifestyle.’ Enjoy this Aerosmith video of their song “Livin’ on the Edge.”

There are other meanings of edge.