border English · revision 3876

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1350|origins=frk *bord}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈbɔː.də/, US /ˈbɔːr.dɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|bordure]],^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) [[bor|fro|bordeure|t=seam, edge of a shield, border]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from bord, bort “side, boundary”,^(Barnhart 1988) from [[frk|*bord]] or a similar Germanic source, cognate with Old English bord “side” and Old High German bort “ship's side”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) The ending was weakened to -er after about 1500,^(Etymonline) and the older spelling ''bordure'' survives in heraldry.^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) The verb is from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[board]].^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In heraldry, a broad coloured band around a shield: mid-14th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) about 1350 in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the late 14th century it meant “edge, side, brink, margin” and an ornamental edging, as on a dish or garment,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and also the boundary of a city or country.^(Etymonline) The district along a country's boundary is from about 1400,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) replacing earlier [[march]].^(Etymonline) ''The Border'' between England and Scotland is from 1535,^(OED 1989) and a strip of garden ground along a path from about 1400.^(OED 1989) In American history it was the line between wild and settled country (1827).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The verb, “to put a border on”, is from about 1400,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) “to lie on the border of” from the 1530s,^(Etymonline) and ''to border on'', “to come close to in character”, from before 1694.^(OED 1989) In East Anglian dialect ''border'' also meant coarse or obscene language.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – a heraldic bordure.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1391 – an edge, a margin.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – a frontier district; a garden border; verb.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1530s – to lie on the border of.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1535 – ''the Border'', England and Scotland.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1694 – ''to border on''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1827 – the American frontier.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A part that forms the outer edge of something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A decorative strip around an edge, as of fabric.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A strip of planted ground at the edge of a garden or path.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The line or [[frontier]] area separating political divisions or regions.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To put a border on.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To lie along or next to the border of.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be close in character; to [[verge]]: ''borders on the ridiculous''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[borderer]]

+ * [[bordered]]

+ * [[borderless]]

+ * [[borderland]]

+ * [[borderline]]

+ * [[cross-border]]

+ * [[transborder]]

+ * [[border collie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[board]]

+ * [[bordure]]

+ * [[embroider]]

+ * [[broider]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}