# edge

/ˈɛdʒ/ (US) · /ˈɛdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/edge
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. outer border

noun · CEFR B1

the outside limit or border of an object, area, or surface.

For teachers: the boundary line of a surface or the area immediately adjacent to a steep drop.

- Be careful not to put your glass too close to the edge of the table.
- The hikers stood cautiously at the cliff's edge, peering down at the crashing waves hundreds of feet below.

### 2. sharp side

noun · CEFR B2

the thin, sharp part of a blade that cuts.

For teachers: the sharpened side of a cutting instrument, such as a knife or axe.

- The chef tested the edge of the knife before slicing the tomatoes.
- The blacksmith spent hours honing the sword's edge until it could slice through silk with minimal resistance.

### 3. an advantage

noun · CEFR B2

a small advantage over someone else.

For teachers: a quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals.

- Her experience in marketing gave her an edge over the other candidates.
- The new software update gave the company a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

### 4. computing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

processing data near where it is created rather than in a central cloud.

For teachers: referring to distributed computing that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data.

- Edge computing helps smart devices respond faster by processing data locally.
- By implementing edge architecture, the factory reduced latency in its automated assembly line significantly.

### 5. to move slowly

verb · CEFR B2

to move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.

For teachers: to move or cause to move by small degrees or with cautious care.

- He edged his car forward to get a better view of the traffic.
- The cat edged closer to the bird, moving so slowly that its progress was almost imperceptible.

### 7. sexual practice

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang

to delay a climax during sexual activity for a long time.

For teachers: to intentionally maintain sexual arousal just below the point of climax for an extended period.

- Some people use edging as a way to make the final experience more intense.
- The discussion of edging in modern subcultures often focuses on the psychological aspects of delayed gratification.

## Examples

- Do not leave your glass near the edge of the table.
- The athlete's superior training gave her a competitive edge over the other runners in the final sprint.
- The hikers stood cautiously at the cliff's edge, peering down into the valley where the morning mist still clung to the dense canopy of trees.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.