border

[ bawr-der ]
See synonyms for border on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.

  2. the line, limit, or delimiting geographic feature that separates one country, state, province, etc., from another: You cannot cross the border without a visa.The largest lake within the borders of Canada is Great Bear Lake.

  1. the district or region that lies along the boundary line of another.

  2. the frontier of civilization.

  3. the border,

    • the border between the United States and Mexico, especially along the Rio Grande.

    • (in the British Isles) the region along the boundary between England and Scotland.

  4. an ornamental strip or design around the edge of a printed page, a drawing, etc.

  5. an ornamental design or piece of ornamental trimming around the edge of a fabric, rug, garment, article of furniture, etc.

  6. Horticulture.

    • a long, narrow bed planted with flowers, shrubs, or trees.

    • a strip of ground in which plants are grown, enclosing an area in a garden or running along the edge of a walk or driveway.

    • the plants growing in such a strip: a border of tulips along the path.

  7. Theater.

    • a narrow curtain or strip of painted canvas hung above the stage, masking the flies and lighting units, and forming the top of the stage set.

verb (used with object)
  1. to make a border around; adorn with a border.

  2. to form a border or boundary to.

  1. to lie on the border of; adjoin.

verb (used without object)
  1. to form or constitute a border; be next to: California borders on the Pacific Ocean.

  2. to approach closely in character; verge: The situation borders on tragedy.

Origin of border

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to bord(er) “to border” (derivative of bord “ship's side, edge,” from Germanic; see board) + -ure noun suffix; see -ure

synonym study For border

1. See edge. 2. See boundary.

Other words for border

Other words from border

  • bor·dered, adjective
  • bor·der·less, adjective
  • trans·bor·der, adjective
  • un·bor·dered, adjective

Words that may be confused with border

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use border in a sentence

  • And the girl, scarce believing her good fortune, departed with a speed that bordered on the ludicrous.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • This was bordered by salt marshes only, covered occasionally at spring tides by the sea, some of which extended pretty far inland.

  • It was bordered by trees for almost its entire length on both sides, and it was shaped like a enormous, elongated comma.

  • She was gracious to him for once, and gave him good morning in a manner that bordered upon the pleasant.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • A large portion of the way the road is bordered by fine forests, which form a great park around the mansion.

British Dictionary definitions for border (1 of 3)

border

/ (ˈbɔːdə) /


noun
  1. a band or margin around or along the edge of something

  2. the dividing line or frontier between political or geographic regions

    • a region straddling such a boundary

    • (as modifier): border country

    • a design or ornamental strip around the edge or rim of something, such as a printed page or dinner plate

    • (as modifier): a border illustration

  1. a long narrow strip of ground planted with flowers, shrubs, trees, etc, that skirts a path or wall or surrounds a lawn or other area: a herbaceous border

verb
  1. (tr) to decorate or provide with a border

  2. (when intr , foll by on or upon)

    • to be adjacent (to); lie along the boundary (of): his land borders on mine

    • to be nearly the same (as); verge (on): his stupidity borders on madness

Origin of border

1
C14: from Old French bordure, from border to border, from bort side of a ship, of Germanic origin; see board

British Dictionary definitions for Border (2 of 3)

Border1

/ (ˈbɔːdə) /


nounthe Border
  1. (often plural) the area straddling the border between England and Scotland

  2. the area straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

  1. the region in S South Africa around East London

British Dictionary definitions for Border (3 of 3)

Border2

/ (ˈbɔːdə) /


noun
  1. Allan (Robert). born 1955, Australian cricketer; played in 156 test matches (1978–1994), 93 as captain; first Australian batsman to score 10,000 test runs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012