FRINGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fringe mean? 

• FRINGE (noun)
  The noun FRINGE has 6 senses:

1. the outside boundary or surface of something

2. a part of the city far removed from the center

3. one of the light or dark bands produced by the interference and diffraction of light

4. a social group holding marginal or extreme views

5. a border of hair that is cut short and hangs across the forehead

6. an ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels

  Familiarity information: FRINGE used as a noun is common.

• FRINGE (verb)
  The verb FRINGE has 2 senses:

1. adorn with a fringe

2. decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe

  Familiarity information: FRINGE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FRINGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The outside boundary or surface of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

fringe; outer boundary; periphery

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

bound; boundary; edge (a line determining the limits of an area)

Derivation:

fringy (at or constituting a border or edge)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A part of the city far removed from the center

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

fringe; outskirt

Context example:

they built a factory on the outskirts of the city

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

city district (a district of a town or city)

Meronyms (parts of "fringe"):

suburb; suburban area; suburbia (a residential district located on the outskirts of a city)

Sense 3

Meaning:

One of the light or dark bands produced by the interference and diffraction of light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

fringe; interference fringe

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

optical phenomenon (a physical phenomenon related to or involving light)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A social group holding marginal or extreme views

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

members of the fringe believe we should be armed with guns at all times

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

social group (people sharing some social relation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A border of hair that is cut short and hangs across the forehead

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

bang; fringe

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

coif; coiffure; hair style; hairdo; hairstyle (the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair))

Sense 6

Meaning:

An ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("fringe" is a kind of...):

edging (border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug))

Derivation:

fringe (decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe)

fringe (adorn with a fringe)

fringy (at or constituting a border or edge)

• FRINGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they fringe    ... he / she / it fringes   
Past simple: fringed   
Past participle: fringed   
-ing form: fringing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Adorn with a fringe

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

The weaver fringed the scarf

Hypernyms (to "fringe" is one way to...):

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Domain category:

handicraft (a craft that requires skillful hands)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fringe (an ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

fur fringed the hem of the dress

Hypernyms (to "fringe" is one way to...):

border; environ; ring; skirt; surround (extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

fringe (an ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels)

 Context examples 

It was now a variegated wall, composed of the trees that fringed the stream, the opposing mountain that towered above the trees, and the sky that out-towered the mountain.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The long coat is usually the color of sand with a darker face and ear fringes.

(Afghan Hound, NCI Thesaurus)

South of the Adour the jagged line of mountains which fringe the sky-line send out long granite claws, running down into the lowlands and dividing them into “gaves” or stretches of valley.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The high-set ears are rather short in a triangular shape, slightly fringed and hanging close to the head.

(Brittany Spaniel, NCI Thesaurus)

Your mother is quite anxious about it, but cannot very well spare time to sit down herself, because of her fringe.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

A dim passing star such as a brown dwarf could also explain other anomalies at the fringes of our Solar System, such as the odd, wide orbit of the dwarf planet Sedna.

(Our Sun Could Have Been Born With an Evil Twin Called "Nemesis", The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The Boscombe Pool is thickly wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the edge.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Owls are known for silent flight, owing to their unique wing features, which are normally characterized by leading-edge serrations, trailing-edge fringes and velvet-like surfaces.

(Owls' Wings Key to Beating Wind Turbine Noise, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

For a moment I wondered where I could have seen that ungainly shape, that arched back with triangular fringes along it, that strange bird-like head held close to the ground.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The fringed end of the fallopian tube.

(Fimbriated End of the Fallopian Tube, NCI Thesaurus)