WordGarden.ioledge
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɛdʒ/
US
- /ˈlɛdʒ/
Meanings
Noun
a narrow horizontal shelf projecting from a wall, window, or other built surface
a narrow shelf or ridge of rock, especially on a cliff face or below water
Beyond the definition
Imagine standing near a cliff above the ocean. A ledge is the flat, narrow part that sticks out from the rock face, a place where a bird might land or a climber might pause for a moment. But it is not only found in nature. It can also be any narrow, shelf-like part that sticks out from something, like a windowsill where you set a plant or a small surface along a wall. In a figurative way, people also use "ledge" in phrases like "talk someone off the ledge," meaning to calm a person who is upset or about to do something rash.
A ledge is a narrow, fairly flat surface that sticks out from a wall, cliff, or other upright surface. It may be natural, as with a shelf of rock on a mountain or along a coast, or it may be built, as with a windowsill, a fireplace ledge, or a small projecting surface in a room. A ledge often gives a place to rest something, step for a moment, or mark a change in the surface.
In nature, ledges are often formed when rock wears away unevenly, leaving a shelf-like part behind. Hikers, climbers, and birds may use these narrow spaces. In buildings, a ledge can be practical or decorative. You might put a plant on a window ledge, set a picture on a mantel ledge, or notice a small ledge that runs along a wall.
The word is also used figuratively. If someone says a person is "on the ledge" or needs to be "talked off the ledge," they usually mean the person is very upset, panicking, or close to making a bad decision. In this sense, the image is of someone standing in a risky place and needing help to step back. So the word can refer to a real narrow shelf or, in everyday speech, to a tense emotional situation.
Examples
- 1
Window area
The cat sat on the window ledge and watched the street below.
- 2
Entryway
She left her keys on the narrow ledge by the front door.
- 3
Hiking
The hikers rested on a rocky ledge halfway up the cliff.
- 4
Cliff edge
A loose stone rolled off the ledge and dropped into the river.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Figurative use
When the project started going wrong, Dana talked her team off the ledge.
- Phrasetalk someone off the ledge
calm someone down when they are upset or about to do something extreme
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- ledgenounverb
Forms
- ledgespluralnounverb
- ledgedpast tenseverbnoun
- ledging-ing formverbnoun