noun
verge
vurj
noun
1
The point right before something happens; the brink or edge.
"The company was on the verge of bankruptcy before the buyout."
"She was on the verge of tears during the speech."
2
An edge or border, such as a grass strip beside a road.
"He pulled the car onto the grass verge to let traffic pass."
verb
1
To come close to or border on something.
"Her excitement verged on obsession."
How to Use Verge
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly used today to mean "right on the edge of" — about to do or become something.
Common pairings
on the verge of
verge of tears
verge on
Word Forms
verged past tense, verges plural, Verges plural, verges singular
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The company was on the _____ of bankruptcy before the buyout.
Etymology
From Old French verge, "rod or wand of office," from Latin virga ("rod, shoot"); the "edge/limit" sense grew out of the idea of a boundary marked by a ceremonial rod.