the edge, rim, or margin of something: the verge of a desert; to operate on the verge of fraud.
the limit or point beyond which something begins or occurs; brink: on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
a limiting belt, strip, or border of something.
British. a narrow strip of turf bordering on a pathway, sidewalk, roadway, etc.
a decorative border, as on or around an object, structural part, etc.
limited room or scope for something: an action within the verge of one's abilities.
an area or district subject to a particular jurisdiction.
History/Historical. an area or district in England embracing the royal palace, being the jurisdiction of the Marshalsea Court.
the part of a sloping roof that projects beyond the gable wall.
Architecture. the shaft of a column or colonette.
a rod, wand, or staff, especially one carried as an emblem of authority or of the office of a bishop, dean, or the like.
Horology. a palletlike lever formerly used in inexpensive pendulum clocks.
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.
to be on the edge or margin; border: Our property verges on theirs.
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.
to serve as the verge or boundary of: a high hedge verging the yard.
Origin of verge
1
1350–1400; late Middle English: shaft, column, rod (hence boundary or jurisdiction symbolized by a steward's rod), Middle English: penis <Middle French: rod <Latin virga
A strategy more than four decades in the making now stands on the verge of complete success.
How Presidents Have Shaped The US Supreme Court – And Why The Choice Of Its Next Justice Is So Crucial|LGBTQ-Editor|September 23, 2020|No Straight News
In June, India’s shadow banking sector was on the verge of collapse.
Charted: How India’s $370 billion shadow banking sector is surviving the economic slump|Prathamesh Mulye|September 22, 2020|Quartz
It may not be TikTok, but Microsoft is on the verge of acquiring a lineup of popular video game titles that could help grow its consumer and video game businesses.
What Microsoft gets by buying game publisher Bethesda Softworks in a $7.5 billion deal|jonathanvanian2015|September 21, 2020|Fortune
Wisconsin’s Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative was on the verge of ending operations in 2016 when itreceived a lifesaving $30 million loan, said CEO Cathy Mahaffey.
Only three of 26 Obamacare-era nonprofit health insurance co-ops will soon remain|lbelanger225|September 6, 2020|Fortune
For those efforts, they now get first dibs at drafting a player who could bring them from the verge of success to consistent playoff appearances.
First The New York Rangers Made The Postseason. Then They Got The No. 1 Draft Pick.|Julian McKenzie|August 13, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
But to say the capital teeters on the verge of collapse is both melodramatic and misleading.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a brutally hot day, 103 degrees, and the city was on the verge of a racial explosion.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Washington State is on the verge of passing new gun control legislation.
NRA Ducks Gun Fight Out West|Eleanor Clift|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the verge of turning 60 this December, Lennox still has a few items to cross off her bucket list.
Annie Lennox Doesn’t Give a Damn What You Think|Itay Hod|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All joking aside, what was once considered an expensive gimmick is on the verge of going mainstream.
Welcome to Oculus XXX: In-Your-Face 3D is the Future of Porn|Aurora Snow|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the pioneers at the Old Port were on the verge of starvation, the 'Clonmel' men were living in luxury.
The Book of the Bush|George Dunderdale
The rough road led directly along the verge of the river bank.
Ruth Fielding in Moving Pictures|Alice Emerson
But instead of that he was now on the verge of utter collapse.
Red Fox|Charles G. D. Roberts
There was a touch of the lackey about Purvis, and his voice was humble sometimes to the verge of irritation.
Peter and Jane|S. (Sarah) Macnaughtan
He also, unsolicited, gave me leave to resign my place of Clerk of the Verge to my son.
Extracts from the Diary of William Bray, Esq.|William Bray
British Dictionary definitions for verge (1 of 2)
verge1
/ (vɜːdʒ) /
noun
an edge or rim; margin
a limit beyond which something occurs; brinkon the verge of ecstasy
Britisha grass border along a road
an enclosing line, belt, or strip
architectthe edge of the roof tiles projecting over a gable
architectthe shaft of a classical column
an enclosed space
horologythe spindle of a balance wheel in a vertical escapement, found only in very early clocks
English legal history
the area encompassing the royal court that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Lord High Steward
a rod or wand carried as a symbol of office or emblem of authority, as in the Church
a rod held by a person swearing fealty to his lord on becoming a tenant, esp of copyhold land
verb
(intr foll by on) to be near (to)to verge on chaos
(when intr, sometimes foll by on) to serve as the edge of (something)this narrow strip verges the road
Word Origin for verge
C15: from Old French, from Latin virga rod
British Dictionary definitions for verge (2 of 2)
verge2
/ (vɜːdʒ) /
verb
(intr; foll by to or towards)to move or incline in a certain direction