ledge

[ lej ]

noun

1. a relatively narrow, projecting part, as a horizontal, shelflike projection on a wall or a raised edge on a tray.
2. a more or less flat shelf of rock protruding from a cliff or slope.
3. a reef, ridge, or line of rocks in the sea or other body of water.
4. Mining.
   1. a layer or mass of rock underground.
   2. a lode or vein.
5. Carpentry. a member similar to but larger than a cleat.
6. Shipbuilding. a minor transverse deck beam running between regular deck beams to form part of a coaming.

verb (used with object)

, ledged, ledg·ing.

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

ledge

/ lɛdʒ /

noun

1. a narrow horizontal surface resembling a shelf and projecting from a wall, window, etc
2. a layer of rock that contains an ore; vein
3. a ridge of rock that lies beneath the surface of the sea
4. a narrow shelflike rock projection on a cliff or mountain

Derived Forms

• ˈledgy, adjective

Other Words From

• ledgeless adjective
• un·ledged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ledge¹

1300–50; Middle English legge, perhaps derivative of leggen to lay ¹; compare Middle High German legge layer, edge, Old English lecg part of a weapon

Word History and Origins

Origin of ledge¹

C14 legge, perhaps from leggen to lay ¹

Example Sentences

I walked it at my own risk, trying to keep my balance on a narrow ledge, afraid, praying I’d make it the length of the bridge unscathed.

From Vox

Sturdy wooden construction, an entrance hole big enough to accommodate adult owls, and a ledge or textured “front porch” area to let birds perch outside the nest box are all important considerations.

From Popular-Science

This mount has bendable legs that make the phone sit flat on uneven surfaces and even grip onto ledges and pipes.

From Outside Online

Take in emerald-peak panoramas via rock ledges atop the 2,900-foot Speckled Mountain, accessible on routes like the eight-mile Bickford Brook Trail.

From Outside Online

Later on Thursday, Hopkins clarified—again, it seems likely an agent or two talked him down from the ledge—that he wasn’t seriously considering an end to his career.

From The Daily Beast

The only catch—he never mined a thing and the tunnel led to a scenic ledge.

From The Daily Beast

On a ledge is a small TV set and a cabinet with a few sad possessions spilling out.

From The Daily Beast

In another chamber there was a hole inside of a ledge we put our hands through.

From The 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.

From The Daily Beast

And of course Baelish materialized (at just the right moment) to save Sansa and coax Lysa away from the ledge.

From The Daily Beast

As he was toiling slowly up a narrow, rocky pass, he suddenly saw an Indian's head peering over the ledge.

From Project Gutenberg

Crawl up there again, Sarge, and look straight down at the first ledge from the bottom.

From Project Gutenberg

I "shinned," and reached the ledge with a good deal of skin peeled from various parts of my person.

From Project Gutenberg

He is dancing on an outcrop (that means a ledge of rock) in the middle of Australia at six o'clock before breakfast.

From Project Gutenberg

A very shallow sheet of water flowed down over a broad but nowise precipitous ledge of rock into the valley beneath.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• berm
• ridge
• rim
• sill