brim
1 Americannoun
-
the upper edge of anything hollow; rim; brink.
the brim of a cup.
-
a projecting edge.
the brim of a hat.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
plural
brim,plural
brimsnoun
-
the upper rim of a vessel
the brim of a cup
-
a projecting rim or edge
the brim of a hat
-
the brink or edge of something
verb
Related Words
See rim.
Other Word Forms
- brimless adjective
- brimmingly adverb
- unbrimming adjective
Etymology
Origin of brim
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English brimme “brink, rim” (earlier, “shore, bank”); apparently akin to Middle High German brem, ( German Bräme ), Old Norse barmr “rim, edge”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Once his win became official, Woodland looked to the sky, exhaled and pushed the brim of his cap down to cover his eyes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
The result is storage facilities that are full to the brim.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
For all of the pain and despair at the heart of Preston’s story, his musical contributions brim with optimism and panache.
From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026
Sumayyah Zara Sillah's eyes light up as she takes hold of a takeaway box filled to the brim with strips of golden-coated Nashville-style hot tenders, dripping with sauce.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
She had recovered her hat with her other garments, but rather than put it on, she picked the straw brim to pieces between her fingers.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
