verge

verge — noun

1. the outermost edge or boundary of a surface, area, or object — the line where on

1.nounB2
Definition

the outermost edge or boundary of a surface, area, or object — the line where one thing ends and another begins

Example

The cliffs rise sharply from the very verge of the sea along this coast.

the verge of [natural feature]

Xiu stood at the verge of the forest, peering into the dark trees.

at the verge of [place]

Common collocations
  • the verge of
  • on the verge
  • at the verge
Synonyms
  • edge

    more common and general; the line where a surface ends

  • brink

    suggests a dangerous or critical point (brink of disaster)

  • threshold

    doorway or starting point of an experience

Antonyms
  • center

    the middle point of an area

Grammar Patterns

the verge of + noun

Usage Note

The phrase 'on the verge of' is far more common than literal uses of the word. It means 'very close to doing something or experiencing something': 'The team was on the verge of winning the championship.'

Common Mistakes

He sat at the verge of sadness.
He sat on the verge of tears.
'verge' is rarely used alone for emotional states; use 'on the verge of' instead.
The verge of the river
the edge of the river
'verge' is less common than 'edge' for everyday physical boundaries.

2. a narrow strip of grass or planted ground running alongside a road, path, or rai

2.nounB2
Definition

a narrow strip of grass or planted ground running alongside a road, path, or railway track, separating it from the surrounding land

Example

Bao pulled the car onto the grassy verge to check the map.

grassy verge

The council planted wildflowers along the verge between the road and the cycle path.

Common collocations
  • grassy verge
  • verge of the road
  • on the verge
  • verge planting
Synonyms
  • shoulder

    American English equivalent; hard surface rather than grass

  • roadside

    more general term for the area beside a road

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] verge

on the verge

Usage Note

This sense is primarily used in British English. In American English, 'shoulder' or 'roadside' is more common for the same concept.

Common Mistakes

I walked along the verge of the road in a city square.
The car pulled onto the verge of the country lane.
'verge' for roadside grass is typical of rural or suburban roads, not urban city centers.
Idioms

on/to the verge of something/of doing something

idiom

Very close to doing something or to a particular situation happening.

Mia was on the verge of tears after hearing the bad news.

The company is on the verge of signing a major deal with a partner.

verge — verb

Word family

  • verging
    adjectiveC1
  • verger
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a boundary or limit, but they differ in intensity and context. 'Edge' is by far the most general and common — it refers simply to the line where an object or surface ends (the edge of the table, the edge of the city). 'Verge' is more specific and literary; it suggests a clearly defined boundary, often in dramatic or figurative contexts (the verge of a cliff, on the verge of tears). 'Brink' carries a sense of danger or crisis — you stand on the brink of disaster or war, not the brink of a career. 'Threshold' refers to a boundary that marks the start of something new (on the threshold of adulthood, the threshold of pain). 'Margin' is used for the blank edge of a page, or figuratively for a small amount of difference (a narrow margin of victory). For everyday physical edges, choose 'edge'. For dramatic or emotional nearness, choose 'verge' or 'brink'. For beginnings, choose 'threshold'. Example: 'We stood at the edge of the field, on the verge of leaving, at the brink of a decision that would change our lives.'

edge ↗brinkthreshold ↗margin ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on the verge of
  • the verge of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from Latin 'virga', meaning 'rod, branch, or green twig'. In Old French this became 'verge' — a rod used as a measuring stick or a symbol of authority. The sense of 'boundary' or 'edge' developed because a rod or stick was placed at the limit of an area to mark its boundary. By the 1600s, 'verge' was used to mean the edge of physical objects, and later extended to figurative boundaries such as states, conditions, or moments of change.