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verge¹

(vûrj)

a. An edge or margin; a border. See Synonyms at border.

b. Architecture The edge of the tiling that projects over a roof gable.

c. Chiefly British A grassy border, as along a road.

2. The point beyond which an action, state, or condition is likely to begin or occur; the brink: on the verge of tears; a nation on the verge of economic prosperity.

3. A rod, wand, or staff carried as an emblem of authority or office.

4. The spindle of a balance wheel in a clock or watch, especially such a spindle in a clock with vertical escapement.

5. The male organ of copulation in certain mollusks.

intr.v. verged, verg·ing, verg·es

1. To approach the nature or condition of something specified; come close. Used with on: a brilliance verging on genius.

2. To be on the edge or border: Her land verges on the neighboring township.

[Middle English, from Old French, rod, ring, from Latin virga, rod, strip.]

verge²

(vûrj)

intr.v. verged, verg·ing, verg·es

1. To slope or incline.

2. To tend to move in a particular direction: "the Neoclassicism ... away from which they subsequently verged" (Hugh Honour).

3. To pass or merge gradually: dusk verging into night.

[Latin vergere; see wer-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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