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Meaning & use

edge up

noun, verb·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˈedʒ ʌp/
US/ˈedʒ ʌp/

Meanings

  1. nouncountableinformalAmerican

    A haircut style with a sharply trimmed hairline, especially around the forehead, temples and neck.

    Grammar: Countable and informal; also spelled edge-up.

    Patterns

    • get an edge up
    • give someone an edge up

    He stopped by the barbershop for a quick edge up before the interview.

    The barber finished the fade with a clean edge up.

    A fresh edge up makes a short haircut look sharper.

  2. verbphrasal verb

    To move slowly and carefully a little higher or closer, or to rise by small amounts.

    Grammar: Intransitive phrasal verb: prices edged up.

    Patterns

    • edge up to something
    • edge up on someone

    Prices edged up slightly last month.

    The climber edged up the narrow ledge toward the summit.

    Unemployment edged up to five percent.

Word forms

pluraledge ups
third person singularedges up
past tenseedged up
-ing formedging up

Common combinations

get an edge up
I'm going to get an edge up before the wedding.
fresh edge up
A fresh edge up can sharpen any haircut.
edge up slightly
Inflation edged up slightly in March.
edge up to
The temperature edged up to thirty degrees by noon.
edge up on
The challenger began to edge up on the leader.

Synonyms and how they differ

line-up
Line-up is another term for the same barbershop trim, with the focus on the sharp front hairline.
creep up
Creep up describes a slow, almost unnoticed rise, which is similar to the verb edge up but often feels more gradual.
inch up
Inch up is a slightly more informal equivalent and stresses very small steps.
rise
Rise is a neutral word for going up and does not suggest small, slow steps.

Opposites

edge downdrop

Word family

edge noun
the outer boundary or line where something ends
edge verb
to move slowly in a particular direction
edging noun
a border along an edge, or the act of trimming one
edger noun
a tool for trimming the border of a lawn or hair

Commonly confused: edge up or edge out?

edge up vs edge out

Edge out means to beat someone by a tiny margin, while edge up means to rise or move up slowly.

Practice

The stock price ___ slightly after the announcement.

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