verge
verge — noun
1. the outermost edge or boundary of a surface, area, or object — the line where on
the outermost edge or boundary of a surface, area, or object — the line where one thing ends and another begins
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]
The old castle was built on the verge of a steep valley.
Tendai spotted a kingfisher perched on a branch at the verge of the lake.
- center
the middle point of an area
文法句型
the verge of + noun
用法筆記
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.'
常見錯誤
2. a narrow strip of grass or planted ground running alongside a road, path, or rai
a narrow strip of grass or planted ground running alongside a road, path, or railway track, separating it from the surrounding land
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.
Jude's dog ran onto the verge and started sniffing the long grass.
Drivers must not park on the verge in this area.
文法句型
[adjective] verge
on the verge
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in British English. In American English, 'shoulder' or 'roadside' is more common for the same concept.
常見錯誤
verge — verb
1. to come so close to a particular quality, state, or condition that it almost rea
to come so close to a particular quality, state, or condition that it almost reaches or becomes it — used especially when something is on the point of being too extreme for its current description
Rafael's repeated lateness was verging on a serious lack of respect.
verging on [behaviour/quality]
Each graceful movement of the dancer verges on physical perfection.
Their argument over the budget verged on becoming a personal fight.
Niran's interest in old maps has verged on obsession over the years.
- border on
interchangeable with 'verge on'; slightly more common
- approach
less dramatic; suggests nearing without tension
- tend toward
more gradual; less intense than 'verge on'
文法句型
verge on + noun
verge on + -ing verb
be verging on + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used in the continuous form ('is verging on / was verging on'). Common with negative or extreme qualities (verging on rudeness, verging on madness), but can also describe positive extremes (verging on perfection).
常見錯誤
2. to move or change gradually in a particular direction or toward a specific condi
to move or change gradually in a particular direction or toward a specific condition, without fully arriving at it
As the sun set, the colour of the sky verged from orange into a deep purple.
verged from [colour] into [colour]
The dinner conversation kept verging toward increasingly uncomfortable topics.
Stefan's quiet hobby of collecting stamps gradually verged into a full-time business.
After years of decline, the company is now verging toward profitability.
- tend toward
more common; less formal
- drift toward
suggests gradual, perhaps unintentional movement
- shift into
more direct; implies a clearer change
文法句型
verge toward + noun
verge into + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 1 (BORDER ON): 'verge on' means 'almost be', while 'verge toward/into' means 'move gradually in a direction'. The physical-direction use is rare; most uses describe abstract movement toward a condition.