Margin M`ARGIN, n. [L. margo.] 1. A border; edge; brink; verge;
as the margin of a river or lake. 2. The edge of the leaf or page of
a book, left blank or filled with notes. 3. The edge of a wound.
4. In botany, the edge of a leaf. M`ARGIN, v.t. To furnish
with a margin; to border. 1. To enter in the margin.
margin
n 1: the boundary line or the area immediately inside the
boundary [syn: margin, border, perimeter]
2: an amount beyond the minimum necessary; "the margin of
victory"
3: the amount of collateral a customer deposits with a broker
when borrowing from the broker to buy securities [syn:
margin, security deposit]
4: (finance) the net sales minus the cost of goods and services
sold [syn: gross profit, gross profit margin, margin]
5: the blank space that surrounds the text on a page; "he jotted
a note in the margin"
6: a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move
within limits [syn: allowance, leeway, margin,
tolerance]
margin I. nounEtymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin margin-,
margo border — more at markDate: 14th century 1.
the part of a page or sheet outside the main body of printed or written
matter 2. the outside limit and adjoining surface of something
;edge <at the margin of the woods> <continental
margin> 3.a. a spare amount or measure or degree allowed or given for
contingencies or special situations <left no margin for error>
b.(1) a bare minimum below which or an extreme limit beyond
which something becomes impossible or is no longer desirable <on the
margin of good taste> (2) the limit below which economic
activity cannot be continued under normal conditions
c. an area, state, or condition excluded from or existing outside the
mainstream <the margins of critical discourse — Barbara
L. Packer> <living in society's margins> 4.a. the difference which exists between net sales and the cost
of merchandise sold and from which expenses are usually met or profit
derived b. the excess market value of collateral over the face of
a loan c.(1) cash or collateral that is deposited by a client with a
commodity or securities broker to protect the broker from loss on a
contract (2) the client's equity in securities bought with the
aid of credit obtained specifically (as from a broker) for that purpose
d. a range about a specified figure within which a purchase is to
be made 5. measure or degree of difference <the bill passed by
a one-vote margin> • marginedadjectiveII. transitive verbDate: 1715 1.a. to provide with an edging or border b. to form a margin
to ;border2.a. to add margin to <margin up an account>
b.(1) to use as margin <margin bonds to buy stock>
(2) to provide margin for <margin a transaction>
c. to buy (securities) on margin
margin n. & v. --n. 1 the edge or border of a surface. 2 a the blank border on each side of the print on a page etc. b a line ruled esp. on exercise paper, marking off a margin. 3 an
amount (of time, money, etc.) by which a thing exceeds, falls short, etc. (won by a narrow margin; a margin of profit). 4 the lower limit of possibility, success, etc. (his effort fell below the
margin). 5 Austral. an increment to a basic wage, paid for skill. 6 a sum deposited with a stockbroker to cover the risk of loss on a transaction on account. --v.tr. (margined, margining)
provide with a margin or marginal notes. Phrases and idioms: margin of error a usu. small difference allowed for miscalculation, change of circumstances, etc. margin release a device on a
typewriter allowing a word to be typed beyond the margin normally set. Etymology: ME f. L margo -ginis
margin
(margins)Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1. A margin is the difference between two amounts, especially the difference in the
number of votes or points between the winner and the loser in an election or other contest.
They could end up with a 50-point winning margin...The Sunday Times remains the brand leader by a huge margin...N-COUNT: with supp
2. The margin of a written or printed page is the empty space at the side of the page.
She added her comments in the margin.N-COUNT
3. If there is a margin for something in a situation, there is some freedom to choose
what to do or decide how to do it.
The money is collected in a straightforward way with little margin for error...N-VAR: with supp
4. The margin of a place or area is the extreme edge of it.
...the low coastal plain along the western margin...= edge, periphery
N-COUNT: with supp
5. To be on themargins of a society, group, or activity means to be among the
least typical or least important parts of it.
Students have played an important role in the past, but for the moment, they're on the
margins.N-PLURAL: with supp
6.
see alsoprofit margin
margin
ˈmɑ:dʒɪn n. & v. --n. 1 the edge or border of a surface. 2
a the blank border on each side of the print on a page etc. b a line ruled
esp. on exercise paper, marking off a margin. 3 an amount (of time, money,
etc.) by which a thing exceeds, falls short, etc. (won by a narrow margin;
a margin of profit). 4 the lower limit of possibility, success, etc. (his
effort fell below the margin). 5 Austral. an increment to a basic wage, paid
for skill. 6 a sum deposited with a stockbroker to cover the risk of loss
on a transaction on account. --v.tr. (margined, margining) provide with a
margin or marginal notes. ømargin of error a usu. small difference allowed
for miscalculation, change of circumstances, etc. margin release a device on
a typewriter allowing a word to be typed beyond the margin normally set. [ME
f. L margo -ginis]
Margin \Mar"gin\, n. [OE. margine, margent, L. margo, ginis. Cf.
March a border, Marge.]
1. A border; edge; brink; verge; as, the margin of a river or
lake.
2. Specifically: The part of a page at the edge left
uncovered in writing or printing.
3. (Com.) The difference between the cost and the selling
price of an article.
4. Something allowed, or reserved, for that which can not be
foreseen or known with certainty.
5. (Brokerage) Collateral security deposited with a broker to
secure him from loss on contracts entered into by him on
behalf of his principial, as in the speculative buying and
selling of stocks, wheat, etc. --N. Biddle.
Margin draft (Masonry), a smooth cut margin on the face of
hammer-dressed ashlar, adjacent to the joints.
Margin of a course (Arch.), that part of a course, as of
slates or shingles, which is not covered by the course
immediately above it. See 2d Gauge.
Syn: Border; brink; verge; brim; rim.
margin
ˈmɑ:dʒɪn n.
1 edge, border, perimeter, periphery; rim, lip, side, brink, verge: Leave a one-inch
margin at the left side of the page. Trees grew at the margin of the pond.
2 limit(s), bound(s), boundary (line), border, frontier, line, partition line: These
streets form the margin of the inner city.
3 allowance, play, leeway, latitude, scope, freedom, room, space; compass: These
calculations do not provide much of a margin for error.
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