Meaning & use
wedging
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“wedging” is a form of “wedge”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The act of forcing something firmly into a narrow space so it cannot move.
Grammar: Used as a noun, often after the: the wedging of the door.
Patterns
- the wedging of something
- wedging something into something
The wedging of the table leg stopped it from wobbling.
He used a piece of wood for the wedging of the window.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Present participle of wedge: pushing something tightly into a small space.
Grammar: As a verb form, it can take an object: wedging the door open, or be used without one: the stone was wedging tightly.
Patterns
- be wedging something into something
- be wedging something open
She was wedging the box under the shelf to keep it steady.
They were wedging stones into the gaps in the wall.
noununcountabletechnicalsport
In climbing, a technique of jamming a body part or tool into a crack for support.
Grammar: Technical use in climbing; usually with the: hand wedging.
Patterns
- hand wedging
- foot wedging
The climber used hand wedging to get up the crack.
Foot wedging works well on narrow routes.
Word forms
| base form | wedge |
|---|---|
| third person singular | wedges |
| past tense | wedged |
| past participle | wedged |
| present participle | wedging |
Common combinations
- wedging something open
- He was wedging the door open with a chair.
- wedging something into a gap
- She was wedging paper into the gap to stop the draft.
- wedging something under something
- They were wedging a block under the table.
- get wedged
- My shoe got wedged between the rocks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jamming
- Jamming is more forceful and often suggests something is stuck; wedging stresses filling a space tightly.
- packing
- Packing means filling a container; wedging means forcing something into a narrow space.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: wedging or wedging vs. edging?
wedging vs wedging vs. edging
Wedging means forcing something into a space; edging means moving slowly or adding a border.
Practice
What does wedging mean in the sentence 'He was wedging a coin under the table leg'?
Choose one answer.
Wedging means forcing something firmly into a narrow space. The other options describe different actions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wedging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.