Edge, v. i. 1. To
move sideways; to move gradually; as, edge along this
way.
2. To sail close to the wind.
I must edge up on a point of wind.
Dryden.
To edge away or To edge
off (Naut.), to increase the distance gradually
from the shore, vessel, or other object. -- To edge
down (Naut.), to approach by slow degrees, as
when a sailing vessel approaches an object in an oblique direction
from the windward. -- To edge in, to get
in edgewise; to get in by degrees. -- To edge in
with, as with a coast or vessel (Naut.), to
advance gradually, but not directly, toward it.
Edge (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Edged (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Edging.] 1. To furnish with an edge as a
tool or weapon; to sharpen.
To edge her champion's sword.
Dryden.
2. To shape or dress the edge of, as with a
tool.
3. To furnish with a fringe or border; as, to
edge a dress; to edge a garden with box.
Hills whose tops were edged with
groves.
Pope.
4. To make sharp or keen, figuratively; to
incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on. [Obs.]
By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the
malicious edged.
Hayward.
5. To move little by little or cautiously, as
by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs
forwards. Locke.
Edge (ĕj), n. [OE. eg,
egge, AS. ecg; akin to OHG. ekka, G.
ecke, Icel. & Sw. egg, Dan. eg, and to L.
acies, Gr. 'akh` point, Skr. açri
edge. √1. Cf. Egg, v. t.,
Eager, Ear spike of corn, Acute.]
1. The thin cutting side of the blade of an
instrument; as, the edge of an ax, knife, sword, or scythe.
Hence, figuratively, that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds
deeply, etc.
He which hath the sharp sword with two
edges.
Rev. ii. 12.
Slander,
Whose edge is sharper than the sword.
Shak.
2. Any sharp terminating border; a margin; a
brink; extreme verge; as, the edge of a table, a
precipice.
Upon the edge of yonder coppice.
Shak.
In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge
Of battle.
Milton.
Pursue even to the very edge of
destruction.
Sir W. Scott.
3. Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut;
keenness; intenseness of desire.
The full edge of our indignation.
Sir W. Scott.
Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can
have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by
our vices.
Jer. Taylor.
4. The border or part adjacent to the line of
division; the beginning or early part; as, in the edge of
evening. "On the edge of winter." Milton.
Edge joint (Carp.), a joint formed by
two edges making a corner. -- Edge mill, a
crushing or grinding mill in which stones roll around on their edges,
on a level circular bed; -- used for ore, and as an oil mill. Called
also Chilian mill. -- Edge molding
(Arch.), a molding whose section is made up of two curves
meeting in an angle. -- Edge plane.
(a) (Carp.) A plane for edging
boards. (b) (Shoemaking) A plane for
edging soles. -- Edge play, a kind of
swordplay in which backswords or cutlasses are used, and the edge,
rather than the point, is employed. -- Edge
rail. (Railroad) (a) A rail set
on edge; -- applied to a rail of more depth than width.
(b) A guard rail by the side of the main rail at
a switch. Knight. -- Edge railway,
a railway having the rails set on edge. -- Edge
stone, a curbstone. -- Edge
tool. (a) Any tool or instrument having
a sharp edge intended for cutting. (b) A
tool for forming or dressing an edge; an edging tool. --
To be on edge, to be eager, impatient, or
anxious. -- To set the teeth on edge, to
cause a disagreeable tingling sensation in the teeth, as by bringing
acids into contact with them. Bacon.