A thicket of bushes or other shrubbery, especially one planted as a fence between two portions of land, or to separate the parts of a garden.
"The old cottage was surrounded by a thick hedge that separated the vegetable patch from the orchard."
In plain English: A hedge is a row of bushes planted close together to form a natural fence or barrier around an area.
"She planted hedges along the garden fence to create privacy for her home."
Usage: As a noun, "hedge" refers specifically to a row of closely trimmed bushes used for fencing off property rather than an open thicket. Use this term when describing man-made barriers in gardens or fields instead of wild overgrowth like brambles.
minimize loss or risk
"diversify your financial portfolio to hedge price risks"
"hedge your bets"
To enclose with a hedge or hedges.
"The farmer planted tall bushes to hedge in his new vegetable garden."
In plain English: To hedge means to speak carefully so as not to commit yourself fully to any single opinion or decision.
"He hedged his answer by saying he would consider all options before making a decision."
A surname.
"Arthur Hedge was elected to the city council last year."
The word "hedge" comes from the Old English heċġ, which originally meant an enclosure or barrier made of bushes. It traveled into modern usage as a specific type of living fence while retaining its core sense of something that blocks or surrounds.