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, verg·ing.

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 by on ):

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

verb (used with object)

, verged, verg·ing.

1. to serve as the verge or boundary of:

   a high hedge verging the yard.

verge

²

[ vurj ]

verb (used without object)

, verged, verg·ing.

1. to incline; tend (usually followed by to or toward ):

   The economy verges toward inflation.

2. to slope or sink.

verge

¹

/ vɜːdʒ /

verb

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

verge

²

/ 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. intrfoll byon to be near (to)

   to verge on chaos

2. whenintr, sometimes foll by on to serve as the edge of (something)

   this narrow strip verges the road

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

C17: from Latin vergere

Origin of verge²

C15: from Old French, from Latin virga rod

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with verge , also see on the verge of .

Example Sentences

Andrew Friedman did such a spectacular job in shaping such a special team, it would verge on heartbreaking if he allows some of their important free-agent pieces to go their separate ways.

From Los Angeles Times

One speaker, a mother, said she was on the verge of being homeless again after timing out of the county’s shelters.

From Los Angeles Times

Max Verstappen is on the verge of securing a fourth consecutive drivers' championship as Formula 1 heads to Las Vegas for the first of three races to finish the 2024 season.

From BBC

Part of what influenced his decision to take on the project was the near-catastrophe that brought production of “The Underground Railroad” to the verge of collapse.

From Los Angeles Times

In Trump’s closing message the day before Election Day, he boasted, “We stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history.”

From Salon