have the edge on something Definition

edge
noun

1. The part farthest from the middle of something; a border or boundary; the rim.

Thesaurus: border, frontier, extremity, brink, boundary, end, limit, brim, rim, margin.
2. The area beside a cliff or steep drop.
3. The cutting side of something sharp such as a knife.
4. geom.
The meeting point of two surfaces.
5. Sharpness or severity.

Example: bread to take the edge off his hunger
6. Bitterness.

Example: There was an edge to his criticism

verb edged, edging

1. To form or make a border to something, edged with flowers.

Thesaurus: decorate, trim, border, fringe, bind, stitch, hem, hone, rim.
2. To shape the edge or border of something.
tr & intr
3. To move gradually and carefully, especially sideways.

Form: edge forward (usually)
Form: edge in
Form: edge out
4. To sharpen (a knife, etc).
5. cricket.
To strike with the edge of the bat.

Derivative: edged

Having an edge of a specified kind.
Example: sharp-edged

Having a specified number of edges.
Example: double-edged

Derivative: edger

A garden tool for trimming the edge of a lawn.

Someone or something that edges.

Derivative: edging

A border around something or to be applied to something, especially a decorative one.

The act of making an edge.

Note: as adj
Used for making an edge.

Idiom: have the edge on someone or something (have the edge over someone or something)

To have an advantage over them.

To be better than them.

Idiom: on edge

Uneasy; nervous and irritable.
Thesaurus: apprehensive, anxious, ill at ease, keyed up, nervous, tense, edgy; Antonym: relaxed.

Idiom: set someone's teeth on edge

See under tooth.

Idiom: take the edge off something

To make it less unpleasant or less difficult.

To weaken or diminish it.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon ecg.

Phrasal Verb: edge out something or someone

To remove or get rid of it or them gradually.To defeat them by a small margin.