Also 3–4 egge(n, 5 eggyn. [f. EDGE sb.
The older forms of this word coincide graphically with those of EGG v., which is ultimately of identical etymology. The forms with gg are for convenience treated under EGG, exc. where used in senses now peculiar to this word.]
1. trans. To give an edge, impart sharpness, to (a weapon, etc., or tool); chiefly in fig. sentences.
1297. R. Glouc., Chron. (1810), 274. I-egged yt [the sword] ys in on alf.
1609. Bp. W. Barlow, Answ. Nameless Cath., 364. Nor blunting the sword of Iustice, but rather edging it.
1621–31. Laud, Sev. Serm. (1847), 55. Will God … edge the sword upon the common enemy of Christ?
1718. Pope, Odyss., XX. 62. Thy sure divinity shall … edge thy sword to reap the glorious field.
1719. Young, Busiris, IV. i. One dear embrace; ’twill edge my sword.
1808. J. Barlow, Columb., VI. 336. Fame fired their courage, freedom edged their swords.
b. transf. and fig. To give keenness or incisive force to (appetite, wit, endeavors, etc.).
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., III. v. 38. With spirit of Honor edged More sharper then your Swords, high to the field.
1643. T. Goodwin, Child of Light, 39. These doe edge and sharpen the wit of carnall reason.
1647. Fuller, Good Th. in Worse T. (1841), 156. O that this would edge the endeavours of our generation.
1673. Ladies Call., I. ii. § 10. 38. All the torments there being edged and sharpned by the woful remembrance.
1742. R. Blair, Grave, 644. Some intervals of abstinence are sought To edge the appetite.
1855. Brimley, Ess., 36. The piercing cold of the night-wind edged with sea-salt.
1885. R. Bridges, Nero, II. i. 6/1. But now to hear how she hath edged her practice.
† 2. To urge on, incite, provoke, encourage (a person); = EGG v. (but usu. with more direct reference to the sb.); also, to stimulate, give activity to (an industry, etc.). Obs. exc. as in b.
1575. J. Hooker, Carew, 116. He … would … edge, procure and cause others to do the like [bestow money].
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1239/2. He accused the moonks of manie things, and did therewith so edge the king against them.
1613. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), III. 141. The Duke edged his soldiers, by declaring unto them the noble works of their ancestors.
1625. Bacon, Usury, Ess. (Arb.), 545. This … will Encourage and edge, Industrious and Profitable Improuements.
1648. Gage, West Ind., xiii. (1655), 76. Which edgeth the Spaniards to a constant and continuall war with the Inhabitants.
b. with on: = egg on (see EGG v. 2).
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 613. Cassius … did … edge him [Brutus] on the more, for a private quarrell he had conceived against Cæsar.
1600. Holland, Livy, XLII. liv. 1147 B. It envenomed the enemies and edged them [infestiores fecisset] the rather to enforce & follow the assault.
1652. H. L’Estrange, Americans no Jewes, 61. [Cannibalism] is a nationall helluonisme…, whetted and edged on with … Revenge.
1725. New Cant. Dict., To Edge, or, as ’tis vulgarly call’d, To EGG one on.
1842. Pusey, Crisis Eng. Ch., 36. To this they will ever be edged on by those, who are watching to take advantage of our perplexities.
1867. Bushnell, Mor. Uses Dark Th., 41. To be cornered and pressed and edged on … into the best ways and noblest endeavors.
† 3. To set (the teeth) on edge. Obs. exc. dial. [Cf. Flem. eggen de tanden (Kilian).]
a. 1300. Cursor M., 796. Þair suns tethe are eggeid yitt.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 136. Eggyd, as teethe for sowre frute, acidus.
a. 1555. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 347. Lest peradventure we take chalk for cheese, which will edge our teeth, and hinder digestion.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, VI. 318. That bitter Apple which edged all mens teeth.
1634. Heywood, Maidenh. well lost, IV. Wks. 1874, IV. 147. If youle eate grapes vnripe, edge your owne teeth.
1865. B. Brierley, Irkdale, I. 26. It edges my teeth wurr nor a railroad whistle.
† b. ? transf. ? To irritate.
c. 1450. Lydg., Min. Poems, 115. How shrewly he was egged For to here hys dyrge do, and se hys pet deggyd.
4. To furnish with a border or edging; to border; also, to color or ornament on the edge.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 197. One of these is edged with belles.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 20. Of golde and silver and such trumperie, To welte, to edge, to garde.
1629. Milton, Ode Nativity, 185. From haunted spring and dale Edged with poplar pale.
1684. Wilding, in Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), I. 259. For edging my Hatt, 4d.
1728. Pope, Dunc., III. 248. Whose sarcenet skirts are edged with … gold.
1746–7. Hervey, Medit. & Contempl. (1818), 133. The glittering fringes which edge the pink.
1870. Hooker, Stud. Flora, 202. Matricaria inodora … bracts edged with brown.
b. Of a range of hills, etc.: To form a border or enclosure to; to enclose.
1644. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 126. On the top of all, runs a balustrade which edges it quite round.
1717. Berkeley, in Fraser, Life (1871), 569. The 2 first miles of this post close along the Dea, being edged on the left by mountains.
1725. Pope, Odyss., X. 102. A bay there lies, Edg’d round with cliffs.
1886. Manch. Exam., 2 Jan., 5/3. Except where it is edged by the border lands of China and Thibet, Burmah is surrounded by British territory.
5. intr. To move edgeways; to advance (esp. obliquely) by repeated almost imperceptible movements. Also with advs. aside, away, down, in, etc. Chiefly Naut. (see quot. 1867).
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, IV. 128. We descried a ship…, we edged towards her to see what she was. Ibid. (1627), Seaman’s Gram., xiii. 60. Be yare at the helme, edge in with him.
a. 1628. F. Greville, Sidney (1652), 60. Publiquely edging nearer the holy mother Church.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks., III. 40–1. The Iames … then edged vp in the winde.
1650. Cromwell, Lett., 4 Sept. Causing their right wing of horse to edge down towards the sea.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull (1727), 72. He observed Frog and old Lewis edging towards one another to whisper.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xvi. (1840), 268–9. They … stood edging in for the shore.
1777. Cook, 2nd Voy., III. vii. (R.). On edging off from the shore, we soon got out of sounding.
1790. Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., I. 382. Rear-Admiral Knowles … kept edging down on the enemy.
1832. Marryat, N. Forster, III. iv. 50. The French admiral edged away with his squadron.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxiii. (1856), 283. The wind edged round a little more to the northward.
1863. Mrs. Oliphant, Salem Chapel, xv. 275. He edged past the table in the back-parlour to the window.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Edge away, To. To decline gradually from the course which the ship formerly steered, by sailing larger, or more off, or more away from before the wind than she had done before. Edge down, To. To approach any object in an oblique direction.
fig. 1859. Sat. Rev., VIII. 5/1. A disposition, on the part of a youth, to edge into a different station from that in which he was born.
6. trans. To move by insensible degrees; to insinuate (something, oneself) into a place. With advs.: To force (something) by imperceptible degrees away, in, off, out. Also fig.
1677. Earl Orrery, Art of War, 161. During the motion of your advanced Wing, to edge it, by degrees, and insensibly, towards [etc.].
1693. Locke, Educ., Wks. 1714, III. 67. Edging by Degrees their Chairs forwards.
1704. Davenant, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 397, IV. 245. If you believe him obstinate … advise me of it, for I can edge it [a wager] off.
1708. Mrs. Centlivre, Busie Body, II. i. (1709), 17. What a Plague it is to have a Son of One and Twenty, who wants to Elbow one out of one’s Life, to Edge himself into the Estate.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., I. 14. Every one edging his chair a little nearer.
1812. L. Hunt, in Examiner, 30 Aug., 545/2. An opportunity … of edging himself into the paper.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., vii. (1867), 143. Christianity … is seen constantly at work edging away oppressions.
1883. Manch. Exam., 30 Nov., 5/5. The products of the Continent are gradually edging those of England out of the [Turkish] market.
b. To edge in (a word, etc.): to push in, as if with the edge first.
1683. D. A., Art Converse, 9. Without giving them so much time as to edge in a word.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), xii. Concl., Andromache … contrived to edge in a smile.
