EDGE, noun [Latin acies, acus.]

1. In a general sense, the extreme border or point of any thing; as the edge of the table; the edge of a book; the edge of cloth. It coincides nearly with border, brink, margin. It is particularly applied to the sharp border, the thin cutting extremity of an instrument, as the edge of an ax, razor, knife or scythe; also, to the point of an instrument, as the edge of a sword.

2. Figuratively, that which cuts or penetrates; that which wounds or injures; as the edge of slander.

3. A narrow part rising from a broader.

Some harrow their ground over, and then plow it upon an edge

4. Sharpness of mind or appetite; keenness; intenseness of desire; fitness for action or operation; as the edge of appetite or hunger.

Silence and solitude set an edge on the genius.

5. Keenness; sharpness; acrimony.

Abate the edge of traitors.

To set the teeth on edge to cause a tingling or grating sensation in the teeth.

EDGE, verb transitive

1. To sharpen.

To edge her champion's sword.

2. To furnish with an edge

A sword edged with flint.

3. To border; to fringe.

A long descending train,

With rubies edged.

4. To border; to furnish with an ornamental border; as, to edge a flower-bed with box.

5. To sharpen; to exasperate; to embitter.

By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.

6. To incite; to provoke; to urge on; to instigate; that is, to push on as with a sharp point; to goad. Ardor or passion will edge a man forward, when arguments fail.

7. To move sideways; to move by little and little; as, edge your chair along.

EDGE, verb intransitive To move sideways; to move gradually. edge along this way.

1. To sail close to the wind.

To edge away, in sailing, is to decline gradually from the shore or from the line of the course.

To edge in with, to draw near to, as a ship in chasing.