ledge

[ lej ]

/ lɛdʒ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ledge ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a relatively narrow, projecting part, as a horizontal, shelflike projection on a wall or a raised edge on a tray.

a more or less flat shelf of rock protruding from a cliff or slope.

a reef, ridge, or line of rocks in the sea or other body of water.

Mining.

a layer or mass of rock underground.
a lode or vein.

Carpentry. a member similar to but larger than a cleat.

Shipbuilding. a minor transverse deck beam running between regular deck beams to form part of a coaming.

verb (used with object), ledged, ledg·ing.

to assemble (a door or the like) with ledges.

Nearby words

ledbetter, lede, lederberg, lederberg, joshua, lederhosen, ledge, ledger, ledger beam, ledger board, ledger line, ledger paper

Origin of ledge

1300–50; Middle English legge, perhaps derivative of leggen to lay¹; compare Middle High German legge layer, edge, Old English lecg part of a weapon

Related formsledge·less, adjectiveun·ledged, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ledge

On a ledge is a small TV set and a cabinet with a few sad possessions spilling out.
Here’s a Reform Even the Koch Brothers and George Soros Can Agree On|Tina Brown|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In another chamber there was a hole inside of a ledge we put our hands through.
Fighting Back With Faith: Inside the Yezidis’ Iraqi Temple|Michael Luongo|August 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We moved slowly down slippery stones, careful not to focus on the ledge to our right that dropped down to the mountain base.
A Little Too Off the Beaten Path in Burma|Katya Cengel|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And of course Baelish materialized (at just the right moment) to save Sansa and coax Lysa away from the ledge.
Game of Thrones’ Ep. 7 ‘Mockingbird’ Recap: Conscious Coupling (and Uncoupling)|Andrew Romano|May 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“Thomas was really out there on the ledge, all by himself, for quite a while,” Lemon says.
Robin Roberts’s Coming Out Party|Lloyd Grove|December 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The man got up from the log and walked away, down the beach toward a ledge of rock that shut off the southern end.
Peter Cotterell's Treasure|Rupert Sargent Holland
And to the ledge itself a polished crown, four inches high; and over the same another little golden crown.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The Caterpillars are going round and round on the ledge at the top of the vase.
Insect Adventures|J. Henri Fabre
Abou Do now stealthily approached the ledge of rock beneath which he had expected to see the head of the animal.
In the Heart of Africa|Samuel White Baker
And it doesnt make any difference whether hes running on the plains or along a ledge of the rocks.
Scouting with Kit Carson|Everett T. Tomlinson

British Dictionary definitions for ledge

ledge

/ (lɛdʒ) /

noun

a narrow horizontal surface resembling a shelf and projecting from a wall, window, etc

a layer of rock that contains an ore; vein

a ridge of rock that lies beneath the surface of the sea

a narrow shelflike rock projection on a cliff or mountain

Derived Formsledgy or ledged, adjective

Word Origin for ledge

C14 legge, perhaps from leggen to lay 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ledge

ledge

late 13c., "crossbar on a door," perhaps from Middle English verb leggen "to place, lay" (see lay (v.)). Sense of "narrow shelf" is first recorded 1550s; "shelf-like projection of rock" is from 1550s.

ledge

noun

verb (used with object), ledged, ledg·ing.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of ledge

Examples from the Web for ledge

British Dictionary definitions for ledge

ledge

noun

Word Origin for ledge

Word Origin and History for ledge

ledge