verge

¹

[vurj]

noun

1. the edge, rim, or margin of something.

   the verge of a desert; to operate on the verge of fraud.

   Synonyms: brink, lip, brim

2. the limit or point beyond which something begins or occurs; brink.

   on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

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

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

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

6. limited room or scope for something.

   an action within the verge of one's abilities.

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

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

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

10. Architecture.,  the shaft of a column or colonette.

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

12. Horology.,  a palletlike lever formerly used in inexpensive pendulum clocks.

13. 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, verging 

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 byon ).

   a statesman who verged on greatness; a situation that verged on disaster.

verb (used with object)

verged, verging 

1. to serve as the verge or boundary of.

   a high hedge verging the yard.

verge

²

[vurj]

verb (used without object)

verged, verging 

1. to incline; tend (usually followed by to ortoward ).

   The economy verges toward inflation.

2. to slope or sink.

verge

¹

/ vɜːdʒ /

noun

1. an edge or rim; margin

2. a limit beyond which something occurs; brink

   on the verge of ecstasy

3. a grass border along a road

4. an enclosing line, belt, or strip

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

6. architect the shaft of a classical column

7. an enclosed space

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

9. English legal history

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

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

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

verb

1. to be near (to)

   to verge on chaos

2. to serve as the edge of (something)

   this narrow strip verges the road

verge

²

/ vɜːdʒ /

verb

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of verge¹

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”

Origin of verge²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of verge¹

C15: from Old French, from Latin virga rod

Origin of verge²

C17: from Latin vergere

Idioms and Phrases

• on the verge of

Example Sentences

The U.S. government shutdown enters its second month and is on the verge of becoming the longest in history.

Read more on Barron's

The U.S. government shutdown enters its second month and is on the verge of becoming the longest in history.

Read more on Barron's

Six seasons of TV and three feature films depict servitude as a benevolent state, sometimes verging on jolly.

Read more on Salon

We’re on the verge of the nation’s worst farm crisis since the 1980s.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now, they are on the verge of turning that hope into a reality.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• brink 
• edge 
• fringe 
• threshold