▪ I. marge1 Now poet. or rhet.
(mɑːdʒ)
[ad. F. marge:—L. margin-em margin.]
1. = margin n. 1.
| 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. ii. lxxvi, The marge or edge of the circumference of the circle. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. viii. 61 As by the flowrie marge On a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. ii. 25 So Pleasantlie in-il'd on mighty Neptune's marge. 1753 Warton Approach of Summer 92 Near the rush'd marge of Cherwell's flood. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude viii. 459 The western marge of Thurston-mere. 1849 M. Arnold Strayed Reveller 16 The ivy-wreath'd marge Of thy cup. 1898 W. K. Johnson Terra Tenebr. 72 By the marble marge of unstirred wells. |
b. of immaterial things.
| 1876 Farrar Marlb. Serm. vi. 59 That great future which blooms.. beyond the marge of death. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 70 Mind to-morrow's early meeting! We must have our journey marge Ample for the wayside wonders. |
2. = margin 2. rare.
| 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. vi. xii. 370 (marg.) In the marge of the Greeke copie there was written as followeth. 1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispach't 74 As cited in the marge by himself. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 519 Every page having an ample marge. |
Hence marge v. trans., to fringe, edge.
| 1852 Fraser's Mag. XLVI. 166 Little bays, marged with printless yellow sands. |
▪ II. marge2, marg
(mɑːdʒ, mɑːg, mɑːdʒ)
Colloq. abbrevs. of margarine, as pronounced (mɑːdʒəˈriːn) or (ˈmɑːgəriːn).
| 1922 Joyce Ulysses 150 Potatoes and marge, marge and potatoes. 1933 ‘G. Orwell’ Down & Out xxiv. 179 ‘No butter, only marg,’ she said, surprised. 1937 E. Garnett Family from One End Street iv. 82 Fetch me a bit of marg. Lily Rose—I can't waste butter on him. 1939 N. Monsarrat This is Schoolroom viii. 197 Living on the dole..bread-and-marge, and meat once a month. 1960 J. Betjeman Summoned by Bells vii. 70 In quieter tones we asked in Hall that night Neighbours to pass the marge. 1974 W. Foley Child in Forest ii. 161 The remembered slice of marge-spread toast. |