wedge
pronunciation
How to pronounce wedge in British English:
UK [wedʒ]
How to pronounce wedge in American English:
US [wedʒ]
-
- Noun:
- any shape that is triangular in cross section
- a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States
- a diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex) placed above certain letters (such as c) to indicate pronunciation
- a heel that is an extension of the sole of the shoe
- (golf) an iron with considerable loft and a broad sole
- something solid that is usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them
- a block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object
-
- Verb:
- fix, force, or implant
- squeeze like a wedge into a tight space
Word Origin
- wedge (n.)
- Old English wecg "a wedge," from Proto-Germanic *wagjaz (cognates: Old Norse veggr, Middle Dutch wegge, Dutch wig, Old High German weggi "wedge," dialectal German Weck "wedge-shaped bread roll"), of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Latin vomer "plowshare." From 1610s in reference to other things shaped like a wedge. Of women's shoes or shoe-heels, from 1939. Wedge issue is attested from 1999.
- wedge (v.)
- early 15c., "jam in place with a wedge; tighten with a wedge," from wedge (n.). Figurative sense "drive or pack (into)" is from 1720. Meaning "split (something) apart with a wedge" attested by 1853. Related: Wedged; wedging.
Example
- 1. Obama could show similar dexterity and potentially drive a wedge into iranian politics .
- 2. The incident was seen as driving a wedge between china 's rich and poor , damaging bmw 's nascent image .
- 3. When the concave upper nut is tightened , the effect produced is exactly the same as that produced by a hammer driving in a wedge .
- 4. The government has narrowed the " tax wedge " that deters employment and whittled away at sickness benefits : sweden no longer stands out for welfare excesses .
- 5. An l-shaped wedge of metal holds your books up against the wall while a tiny clip holds the inside cover of the book up , giving your larger books the illusion of magically sticking to the wall .