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Wedge Very Common

Wedge has 13 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

any shape that is triangular in cross section

"The carpenter carefully cut a wedge from the oak log to fit it into the door frame."

2

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

"After work, he grabbed a hearty wedge from the deli to fuel up for his evening shift."

3

a diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex) placed above certain letters (such as the letter c) to indicate pronunciation

"The linguist added a wedge above the letter c in the transcription to show it is pronounced like an 's'."

4

a heel that is an extension of the sole of the shoe

"The designer added a wedge to the flat sandal, creating a comfortable yet elevated look."

5

(golf) an iron with considerable loft and a broad sole

"The golfer chose to use his sand wedge to get out of the difficult lie near the water hazard."

6

something solid that is usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them

"The carpenter drove a wooden wedge between the split planks to force them apart."

7

a block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object

"The worker placed a wooden wedge behind the crate to stop it from rolling down the ramp."

8

One of the simple machines; a piece of material, such as metal or wood, thick at one edge and tapered to a thin edge at the other for insertion in a narrow crevice, used for splitting, tightening, securing, or levering.

"In the ancient Cambridge tradition, the student at the bottom of the Classical Tripos list was affectionately called 'the wedge' by his peers."

9

The person whose name stands lowest on the list of the classical tripos.

In plain English: A wedge is a thin, triangular piece of something that you can use to lift things up or separate them apart.

"She used a wooden wedge to lift the heavy stone slightly off the ground."

Usage: Use "wedge" as a noun to describe a thick, tapered tool used for splitting objects or creating space between them. When referring to social dynamics, it often implies forcing one's way into a group by inserting oneself at the bottom of an established hierarchy.

Verb
1

put, fix, force, or implant

"lodge a bullet in the table"

"stick your thumb in the crack"

2

squeeze like a wedge into a tight space

"I squeezed myself into the corner"

3

To support or secure using a wedge.

"The carpenter used a wooden wedge to secure the loose doorframe in place."

In plain English: To wedge something means to push it tightly into a narrow space so that it gets stuck there securely.

"She wedged her umbrella under the door to keep it from blowing away."

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"The wealthy Wedge family has lived in this coastal town for generations."

Example Sentences
"She used a wooden wedge to lift the heavy stone slightly off the ground." noun
"The baker cut a slice of pie to make a neat wedge for the customer." noun
"A wooden wedge was placed under the door to stop it from opening." noun
"She carefully removed the sharp wedge of cheese from between the crackers." noun
"She wedged her umbrella under the door to keep it from blowing away." verb
See Also
ipa chock palstaff toblerone coin iron insertion chisel
Related Terms
Antonyms
free
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
triangle sandwich diacritical mark heel iron inclined plane block fasten move
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
pitching wedge sand wedge ax head colter moldboard plowshare quoin shim sprag redeposit impact compress

Origin

The word wedge comes from the Old English weċġ, which originally meant a tapered tool used for splitting or lifting objects. This term traces its roots back through Middle English to the Proto-West Germanic language family.

Rhyming Words
edge budge vedge lodge dodge ledge judge nudge fidge midge wodge fedge pudge hudge widge rodge gedge jedge ridge hodge
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