▪ I. edging, vbl. n.
(ˈɛdʒɪŋ)
[f. edge v. + -ing1.]
† 1. The setting on edge (of the teeth). Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Amos iv. 6 Y ȝaue to ȝou eggyng of teeth. |
2. a. The putting of an edge or border to anything. Also attrib., as in edging-lace, edging-stroke, edging-tile.
| 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Canetille, an edging lace. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 446 Very much used for the edging of the best garments. 1664 Evelyn tr. Freart's Archit. (R), The edging stroaks, by some called outlines, and contours only. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 116 Edging of plank, sawing or hewing it narrower. a 1877 Knight Dict. Mech. I. 774/1 Edging-machine, a machine for edging boards to a given pattern. An edger. a 1884 Knight Dict. Mech. Suppl. 293/1 Edging and dividing bench, a circular saw of special adaption for sawing blocks into voussoir shapes. 1957 N.Z. Timber Jrnl. Feb. 45 Edging strips, pieces fixed on the edges of flush doors to cover and secure the edges of the plywood. |
b. The trimming of the edges (of a lawn or grassplat); also attrib., as in edging-iron, edging-shears.
| 1858 Glenny Gard. Everyd. Bk. 236/1 The edging-iron must be used instead of the shears. 1880 G. Turner's Catal. Tool Wks. Sheffield 24 Common Grass Plot Edging Knives. |
3. concr. a. That which forms an edge to anything; a border, fringe, etc. sewn on the edge of a garment; a border (of box or other plants) surrounding a flower-bed; and the like.
| 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 199 Adorn the outward Verge with an Edging of Pink, Limon Thyme, etc. a 1700 Dryden (T.), The garland which I..border'd with a rosy edging round. 1699 Garth Dispens. iv. (1706) 66 The Clouds aloft with golden Edgings glow. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. iii. 366 After Rain, clip your Edgings of Box. 1807 Crabbe Library 148 The dull red edging of the well fill'd page. 1841 J. W. Loudon Ladies' Comp. Flower Garden 117/2 Gentiana acaulis is frequently used as an edging plant. 1873 Tristram Moab xvi. 302 The old road..marked by its bold edging of stones. 1907 Macm. Mag. 825 Lepidoptera seek out this sunny retreat and suck the edging plants. |
b. A trimming on a seam.
| 1664 Pepys Diary 10 Feb., A close-bodied..coat, with a gold edgeing in each seam. 1717 Addison Ovid's Met. ii. (R.) To show The golden edging on the seam below. |
4. Lace made to be sewn on to the edge of some article of dress. Shorter form of edging-lace.
| 1558 Richmond. Wills (1853) 127 Vj yeards of edgine xxd. 1716 Lond. Gaz. No. 5438/4 Two Quarter Boxes of Lace and Edgings. 1750 Mrs. Delany Life & Corr. (1861) II. 555, I have got your harp shell, and will send it you, and the Elizabeth edging. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 387 ‘Edgings’, or the several kinds of cheap lace used for the bordering of caps and other female requirements. |
5. The action of moving by insensible degrees; attrib., as in edging movement.
| 1879 A. Forbes Daily News 16 Apr. 3/2 A kind of side⁓long edging movement. |
▪ II. edging, ppl. a.
(ˈɛdʒɪŋ)
[f. edge v. + -ing2.]
That moves by imperceptible degrees. Hence ˈedgingly adv.
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) II. 220 The new-made beau awkwardly followed, but more edgingly. |