on edge

noun

a line or border at which a surface terminates: Grass grew along the edges of the road. The paper had deckle edges.

a brink or verge: the edge of a cliff; the edge of disaster.

any of the narrow surfaces of a thin, flat object: a book with gilt edges.

a line at which two surfaces of a solid object meet: an edge of a box.

the thin, sharp side of the blade of a cutting instrument or weapon.

the sharpness proper to a blade: The knife has lost its edge.

sharpness or keenness of language, argument, tone of voice, appetite, desire, etc.: The snack took the edge off his hunger. Her voice had an edge to it.

British Dialect. a hill or cliff.

an improved position; advantage: He gained the edge on his opponent.

10.

Cards.

advantage, especially the advantage gained by being the age or eldest hand.

eldest hand.

11.

Ice Skating. one of the two edges of a skate blade where the sides meet the bottom surface, made sharp by carving a groove on the bottom.

12.

Skiing. one of the two edges on the bottom of a ski that is angled into a slope when making a turn.

verb (used with object)

13.

to put an edge on; sharpen.

14.

to provide with an edge or border: to edge a terrace with shrubbery; to edge a skirt with lace.

15.

to make or force (one's way) gradually by moving sideways.

16.

Metalworking.

to turn (a piece to be rolled) onto its edge.

to roll (a piece set on edge).

to give (a piece) a desired width by passing between vertical rolls.

to rough (a piece being forged) so that the bulk is properly distributed for final forging.

00:10

On edge is always a great word to know.

So is callithumpian. Does it mean:

a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

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verb (used without object)

17.

to move sideways: to edge through a crowd.

18.

to advance gradually or cautiously: a car edging up to a curb.

Verb phrases

19.

edge in, to insert or work in or into, especially in a limited period of time: Can you edge in your suggestion before they close the discussion?

20.

edge out, to defeat (rivals or opponents) by a small margin: The home team edged out the visitors in an exciting finish.

Idioms

21.

have an edge on, Informal. to be mildly intoxicated with alcoholic liquor: He had a pleasant edge on from the sherry.

22.

on edge,

(of a person or a person's nerves) acutely sensitive; nervous; tense.

impatient; eager: The contestants were on edge to learn the results.

23.

set one's teeth on edge. tooth ( def 21 ).

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English egge, Old English ecg; cognate with German Ecke corner; akin to Latin aciēs, Greek akís point

Related forms

edge·less, adjective

out·edge, verb (used with object), out·edged, out·edg·ing.

un·der·edge, noun

un·edge, verb (used with object), un·edged, un·edg·ing.

Synonyms
1. rim, lip. Edge, border, margin refer to a boundary. An edge is the boundary line of a surface or plane: the edge of a table. Border is the boundary of a surface or the strip adjacent to it, inside or out: a border of lace. Margin is a limited strip, generally unoccupied, at the extremity of an area: the margin of a page.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To on edge

Collins

World English Dictionary

edge (ɛdʒ)

—n
1.	the border, brim, or margin of a surface, object, etc
2.	a brink or verge: the edge of a cliff; the edge of a breakthrough
3.	maths
	a. a line along which two faces or surfaces of a solid meet
	b. a line joining two vertices of a graph
4.	the sharp cutting side of a blade
5.	keenness, sharpness, or urgency: the walk gave an edge to his appetite
6.	force, effectiveness, or incisiveness: the performance lacked edge
7.	dialect
	a. a cliff, ridge, or hillside
	b. (capital) (in place names): Hade Edge
8.	have the edge on, have the edge over to have a slight advantage or superiority (over)
9.	on edge
	a. nervously irritable; tense
	b. nervously excited or eager
10.	set someone's teeth on edge to make someone acutely irritated or uncomfortable

—vb
11.	(tr) to provide an edge or border for
12.	(tr) to shape or trim (the edge or border of something), as with a knife or scissors: to edge a pie
13.	to push (one's way, someone, something, etc) gradually, esp edgeways
14.	(tr) cricket to hit (a bowled ball) with the edge of the bat
15.	(tr) to tilt (a ski) sideways so that one edge digs into the snow
16.	(tr) to sharpen (a knife, etc)

[Old English ecg; related to Old Norse egg, Old High German ecka edge, Latin aciēs sharpness, Greek akis point]

'edgeless

—*adj*

'edger

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

edge

O.E. ecg "corner, edge," also "sword," from P.Gmc. *agjo (cf. O.N. egg, see egg (v.); Ger. Eck "corner"), from PIE base *ak- "sharp, pointed" (cf. L. acies, Gk. akis "point;" see acrid). Spelling development of O.E. -cg to M.E. -gg to Mod.E. -dge

represents a widespread shift in pronunciation. To get the edge on (someone) is U.S. colloquial, first recorded 1911. Edge city is from Joel Garreau's 1992 book of that name. Razor's edge as a perilous narrow path translates Gk. epi xyrou akmes.

edge

"to move edgeways (with the edge toward the spectator), advance slowly," 1620s, originally nautical, from edge (n.). The verb meaning "urge on, incite" (16c.) usually is a mistake for egg (v.).

Slang Dictionary

edge definition

n.
drunkenness; the early stage of intoxication from alcohol or drugs. (See also have an edge on.) : She was beginning to show a little edge, but she obviously still could drive.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

on edge

Tense, nervous, irritable, as in We were all on edge as we waited for the surgeon's report. This expression transfers the edge of a cutting instrument to one's feelings. [Late 1800s] Also see on the edge; set one's teeth on edge.

Matching Quote

"On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble;
His forest fleece the Wrekin heaves;
The gale, it plies the saplings double,
And thick on Severn snow the leaves."

-A.E. Housman

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Idioms & Phrases

on the edge

set one's teeth on edge