to edge away
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To move away very gradually, as a ship moves from the edge of the shore.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to edge away” mean?
To move away very gradually, as a ship moves from the edge of the shore.
Is “to edge away” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.