border
Americannoun
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the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
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the line, limit, or delimiting geographic feature that separates one country, state, province, etc., from another: The largest lake within the borders of Canada is Great Bear Lake.
You cannot cross the border without a visa.
The largest lake within the borders of Canada is Great Bear Lake.
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the district or region that lies along the boundary line of another.
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the frontier of civilization.
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the border,
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the border between the United States and Mexico, especially along the Rio Grande.
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(in the British Isles) the region along the boundary between England and Scotland.
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an ornamental strip or design around the edge of a printed page, a drawing, etc.
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an ornamental design or piece of ornamental trimming around the edge of a fabric, rug, garment, article of furniture, etc.
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Horticulture.
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a long, narrow bed planted with flowers, shrubs, or trees.
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a strip of ground in which plants are grown, enclosing an area in a garden or running along the edge of a walk or driveway.
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the plants growing in such a strip.
a border of tulips along the path.
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Theater.
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a narrow curtain or strip of painted canvas hung above the stage, masking the flies and lighting units, and forming the top of the stage set.
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verb (used with object)
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to make a border around; adorn with a border.
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to form a border or boundary to.
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to lie on the border of; adjoin.
verb (used without object)
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to form or constitute a border; be next to.
California borders on the Pacific Ocean.
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to approach closely in character; verge.
The situation borders on tragedy.
noun
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a band or margin around or along the edge of something
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the dividing line or frontier between political or geographic regions
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a region straddling such a boundary
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( as modifier )
border country
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a design or ornamental strip around the edge or rim of something, such as a printed page or dinner plate
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( as modifier )
a border illustration
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a long narrow strip of ground planted with flowers, shrubs, trees, etc, that skirts a path or wall or surrounds a lawn or other area
a herbaceous border
verb
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(tr) to decorate or provide with a border
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to be adjacent (to); lie along the boundary (of)
his land borders on mine
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to be nearly the same (as); verge (on)
his stupidity borders on madness
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noun
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(often plural) the area straddling the border between England and Scotland
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the area straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
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the region in S South Africa around East London
noun
Usage
What does border mean? A border is the outer edge of a surface or image that marks its boundary in reference to others, such as a border you draw around a picture.A border is also a line that acts as a boundary between two or more geographic areas, whether it’s small areas, like between neighbors on the same street, or large areas, like between countries.To border often means to create a border, as on a picture.To border can also mean to form a border or to be next to one, as in Maine borders New Hampshire to the west and south and Canada to the north and east.Example: The border around the image is quite interesting, but I don’t think it fits the piece.
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- bordered adjective
- borderless adjective
- transborder adjective
- unbordered adjective
Etymology
Origin of border
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to bord(er) “to border” (derivative of bord “ship's side, edge,” from Germanic; board ) + -ure noun suffix; -ure
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A predominantly Shiite Islamist group, Hezbollah has for decades been a major military and political force in Lebanon, which borders northern Israel.
From Los Angeles Times
But in both countries, there seems to be a considerable reluctance to have higher or lower income tax than across the English border.
From BBC
She expressed approval of the conditions - warm even in the sub-zero temperatures that Denmark was experiencing, but basic bordering on austere.
From BBC
An AFP journalist at the northern Islam Qala border crossing saw the Iranian flag completely lowered, and a black flag raised.
From Barron's
This didn’t spare her from being tagged with border failures.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
