wedge

[[t]we̱ʤ[/t]]

wedges, wedging, wedged

1) VERB If you wedge something, you force it to remain in a particular position by holding it there tightly or by fixing something next to it to prevent it from moving.

[V n] I shut the shed door and wedged it with a log of wood...

[V n adj] We slammed the gate after them, wedging it shut with planks.

2) VERB If you wedge something somewhere, you fit it there tightly.

[V n prep] Wedge the plug into the hole...

[V-ed] The hotel's wedged right between the two airports.

3) N-COUNT A wedge is an object with one pointed edge and one thick edge, which you put under a door to keep it firmly in position.

4) N-COUNT A wedge is a piece of metal with a pointed edge which is used for splitting a material such as stone or wood, by being hammered into a crack in the material.

5) N-COUNT: usu N of n A wedge of something such as fruit or cheese is a piece of it that has a thick triangular shape.

6) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR between pl-n If someone drives a wedge between two people who are close, they cause ill feelings between them in order to weaken their relationship.

I started to feel Toby was driving a wedge between us.

7) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If you say that something is the thin end of the wedge, you mean that it appears to be unimportant at the moment, but that it is the beginning of a bigger, more harmful development. [BRIT]

I think it's the thin end of the wedge when you have armed police permanently on patrol round a city.