Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A horizontal projection forming a narrow shelf on a wall.
  • noun A cut or projection forming a shelf on a cliff or rock wall.
  • noun An underwater ridge or rock shelf.
  • noun A level of rock-bearing ore; a vein.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A shelf on which articles may be placed; anything which resembles such a shelf; a flat rim or projection; as, the ledge of a window; a ledge of earth on the inner side of a parapet.
  • noun Specifically— In arch.: A small horizontal molding of rectangular profile. A string-course.
  • noun In joinery, a piece against which something rests, as the side of a rebate against which a door or shutter is stopped, or a projecting fillet serving the same purpose as the stop of a door, or the fillet which confines a window-frame in its place.
  • noun In ship-building, a. piece of the deck-frame of a ship, lying between the deck-beams.
  • noun A rail of a chair.
  • noun In printing, one of the pieces of furniture; a wedge, used in locking up a form of type.
  • noun A shelf-like ridge or elevation; any natural formation somewhat resembling a shelf: as, a ledge at the top of a precipice; a ledge of rock under water.
  • noun A bar for fastening a gate.
  • To allege.
  • To lay (eggs).
  • To lay hands on.
  • To lay eggs.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A shelf on which articles may be laid; also, that which resembles such a shelf in form or use, as a projecting ridge or part, or a molding or edge in joinery.
  • noun A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.
  • noun A layer or stratum.
  • noun (Mining) A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral.
  • noun (Shipbuilding) A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A shelf on which articles may be laid; also, that which resembles such a shelf in form or use, as a projecting ridge or part, or a molding or edge in joinery.
  • noun geology A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.
  • noun A layer or stratum.
  • noun A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral.
  • noun architecture A (door or window) lintel .
  • noun architecture A cornice.
  • noun A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams.
  • noun See lege.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, crossbar, probably from leggen, to lay, from Old English lecgan; see legh- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • On the ledge is a potted plant (a white rose, 'natch) and Mary Jane (taking the place of the dog ... hmmm, that could be taken the wrong way,) but waving him off to his grand adventure becoming a hero.

    Day in the Life of an Idiot lyda222 2008

  • That ledge is the only good spot we have to keep a fish, and no tank any larger will safely fit.

    Friday variety pack, now with Bonus! charming ichthyoid moriarty6 2007

  • Several days later, the family learned that it had come down on a mountain ledge; terrified goat herders fell down on their knees in prayers, believing it was the Holy Ghost descending.

    Grazia Deledda: Voice of Sardinia 2002

  • If the ledge is too deep to reach with crankbaits, switch to a Carolina-rigged lizard or a Texas-rigged worm.

    Bass in the Bends 1999

  • Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the coming months are going to be critical ones for the world as we balance precariously on the thin ledge between financial stability and chaos, between economic co-operation and vicious trade war.

    Corporate Power and Public Purpose 1983

  • Expect the next hurdle on the topside to be the short-term ledge of selling interest just ahead of 93.00, but beyond there we fully anticipate a re-visit to 93.77 highs from 7 January, and beyond there see potential for a move back towards the upper echelons of 97. 00-98.00.

    FXstreet.com support@ac-markets.com (ACM - Advanced Currency Ma 2010

  • Expect the next hurdle on the topside to be the short-term ledge of selling interest just ahead of 93.00, but beyond there we fully anticipate a re-visit to 93.77 highs from 7 January, and beyond there see potential for a move back towards the upper echelons of 97. 00-98.00.

    FXstreet.com support@ac-markets.com (ACM - Advanced Currency Ma 2010

  • Expect the next hurdle on the topside to be the short-term ledge of selling interest just ahead of 93.00, but beyond there we fully anticipate a re-visit to 93.77 highs from 7 January, and beyond there see potential for a move back towards the upper echelons of 97. 00-98.00.

    FXstreet.com support@ac-markets.com (ACM - Advanced Currency Ma 2010

  • Yep, that stuff on the window ledge is not pigeon poo – it’s snow!

    2005 November « Mad Dave and Lil 2005

  • Yep, that stuff on the window ledge is not pigeon poo – it’s snow!

    The white stuff « Mad Dave and Lil 2005

Comments

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  • "n. Specifically— In arch.: A small horizontal molding of rectangular profile. A string-course.

    n. In joinery, a piece against which something rests, as the side of a rebate against which a door or shutter is stopped, or a projecting fillet serving the same purpose as the stop of a door, or the fillet which confines a window-frame in its place.

    n. In ship-building, a. piece of the deck-frame of a ship, lying between the deck-beams.

    n. A rail of a chair.

    n. In printing, one of the pieces of furniture; a wedge, used in locking up a form of type."

    --CD&C

    May 3, 2012

  • How is this related to know-ledge?

    May 4, 2012

  • I'm sure there's some "ledgerdemain" to explain it.

    May 4, 2012

  • It does perhaps requires a light hand and a radiant brow (Taliesin)?

    A brow is a type of ledge? Right?

    May 4, 2012