marginal

marginal
[[t]mɑ͟ː(r)ʤɪn(ə)l[/t]]
marginals
1) ADJ-GRADED If you describe something as marginal, you mean that it is small or not very important.

This is a marginal improvement on October...

The role of the opposition party proved marginal.

2) ADJ-GRADED If you describe people as marginal, you mean that they are not involved in the main events or developments in society because they are poor or have no power.

The tribunals were established for the well-integrated members of society and not for marginal individuals...

I don't want to call him marginal, but he's not a major character.

Ant:
3) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n In political elections, a marginal seat or constituency is one which is usually won or lost by only a few votes, and is therefore of great interest to politicians and journalists. [BRIT]

...the views of voters in five marginal seats.

N-COUNT
A marginal is a marginal seat. [BRIT]

The votes in the marginals are those that really count... The coalition won a majority of the vote but failed to win enough of the key marginals.

4) ADJ: usu ADJ n Marginal activities, costs, or taxes are not the main part of a business or an economic system, but often make the difference between its success or failure, and are therefore important to control.

The analysts applaud the cuts in marginal businesses, but insist the company must make deeper sacrifices...

For low-paid workers, the marginal tax rate is at least 75%.

5) ADJ-GRADED: ADJ n Marginal land is not very good for growing crops or grass for animals. [TECHNICAL]

The poor are forced to farm in more marginal lands higher up the mountains.

...helping farmers, so they do not have to exploit marginal lands.


English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • marginal — marginal, ale, aux [ marʒinal, o ] adj. et n. • XVe; du lat. margo, marginis « marge » I ♦ Adj. 1 ♦ Qui est mis dans la marge. Note marginale. ♢ Géogr. Récifs marginaux, en bordure d une côte. Fosse marginale (cf. Marge continentale). 2 ♦ (angl.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • marginal — MARGINÁL, Ă, marginali, e, adj. Care se află la margine; spec. (despre note, glose, comentarii) care este scris pe marginea unui text tipărit sau a unui manuscris. ♦ p.ext. (despre chestiuni, probleme) Secundar. – Din fr. marginal. Trimis de… …   Dicționar Român

  • Marginal — may refer to: For marginal constituency in politics, see “Marginal seat” For the manga, see Marginal (manga) For marginal model in hierarchical linear modeling, see “Marginal model” For marginal observables in physics, see “Renormalization group” …   Wikipedia

  • marginal — adjetivo 1. Que está en el margen: nota marginal, corrección marginal. 2. Que tiene escasa importancia o una importancia secundaria: detalle marginal, cuestión marginal. Es un asunto marginal, yo no le daría muchas vueltas. adjetivo,sustantivo… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • marginal — [mär′jə nəl] adj. [ML marginalis] 1. written or printed in the margin of a page or sheet 2. of or constituting a margin 3. at, on, or close to the margin or border 4. a) close to a margin or limit, esp. a lower limit [a marginal standard of… …   English World dictionary

  • marginal — marginal, marginalize To the editors of the OED around the turn of the 20c, marginalize meant no more than ‘to write marginal notes [i.e. notes in the margin] upon’, and they marked it ‘rare’. Since then it has been so transformed that the 1991… …   Modern English usage

  • marginal — 1. adj. Perteneciente o relativo al margen. 2. Que está al margen. 3. Dicho de un asunto, de una cuestión, de un aspecto, etc.: De importancia secundaria o escasa. 4. Dicho de una persona o de un grupo: Que vive o actúa, de modo voluntario o… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Marginal — Mar gin*al, a. [Cf. F. marginal.] 1. Of or pertaining to a margin. [1913 Webster] 2. Written or printed in the margin; as, a marginal note or gloss. [1913 Webster] 3. At the lower limit; barely sufficient; as, of marginal utility. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • marginal — Adj am Rand liegend per. Wortschatz fremd. Erkennbar fremd (16. Jh.) Neoklassische Bildung. Entlehnt aus neo kl. marginalis, zu l. margo Rand . Als Substantivierung Marginalie Randbemerkung (älter Marginale).    Ebenso nndl. marginaal, ne.… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • marginal — 1. (en asistencia gestionada) un caso en el cual los costes superan la cantidad permitida para un diagnóstico o tratamiento específico. La cantidad marginal se especifica normalmente de antemano en el contrato entre el proveedor y el pagador. 2.… …   Diccionario médico

  • marginal — marginal, ale (mar ji nal, na l ) adj. 1°   Qui est en marge. Des avis, des astérisques marginaux. •   Cet ordre de pasteurs doit durer pour l assemblage des saints et pour l édification du corps de Christ, c est à dire, selon la note marginale… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”