border

Pluralborders

Formsborders, bordering, bordered

1. 1
   between countriesnouncountable or uncountable

   The line or frontier zone that separates one political or geographical region from another.

   Tensions rose along the border as both nations reinforced their troops.

   The river forms a natural border between the two states.

   UsageSay at the border for the crossing point, on the border for places beside it, and the border between two countries.

   Similarfrontier, boundary, line

   Note

   A district lies on the border of a province, a line runs between two countries, and a jogger crosses the border into the US. With a capital, the Border long meant the Anglo-Scottish line: Railway Magazine's "Crossing the Border" (1950) traces where the main lines north of Berwick and Carlisle passed over it.

2. 2
   share a boundaryverbtransitive or intransitive

   To lie next to another country or area and share a boundary with it (also used with on, upon, or with).

   Spain borders Portugal to the west.

   The small farms that border the wildlife refuge often lose part of their crops to hungry geese.

   UsageUsually no preposition: Spain borders Portugal. Borders on means the same and is also correct.

3. 3
   outer edgenouncountable

   The outermost edge or boundary line of an object or area.

   Trees grew thickly along the border of the property.

   He traced the border of the map with his finger.

   Similaredge, boundary, perimeter, margin, periphery

   Oppositecenter, middle

   Note

   This is edge in its widest reach, stretching from the borders of a garden to abstractions: Isaac Barrow speaks of being "in the borders of death." In such uses the word tends to be plural and to follow in or upon, much as the verb meaning "to verge" takes on or upon. The root is a Frankish *bord, from the same family as board.

4. 4
   decorative stripnouncountable

   A decorative strip or band running around the edge of something.

   The wallpaper featured an elegant gold border near the ceiling.

   A hand-painted border framed each page of the old manuscript.

   Similaredging, trim, frieze, band

   Note

   Trim is what this sense shares with the word's German cousin Borte, "ribbon, trimming," part of the Frankish family behind the plain "edge" meaning. It covers fabric and picture frames, and it also covers print. A solid border around a table of figures is a ruled line, ornamental only in the loosest sense. Adjectives such as frilly, gold, hand-painted and solid typically sit in front of it. Source

   Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

   • German Borte means "ribbon, trimming" and is etymologically related to border, whose ancestry includes Frankish *bord. en.wiktionary.org
5. 5
   come closeverbintransitive

   To approach or come close to a state or quality, used with on or upon.

   Such remarks border on insolence.

   Her excitement bordered on hysteria as the results were read.

   UsageUsually followed by a fault or an extreme (borders on insolence, on the absurd); verges on means much the same.

   Similarverge, approach, approximate

   Note

   This is distance in a figurative sense rather than a geographical one: something comes so close to a quality that it almost becomes it. The complement is usually an excess or a fault, such as insolence or hysteria. John Tillotson, in a sermon printed in 1671, warns of "wit which borders upon profaneness."

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To form an edge or boundary along or around something, sometimes enclosing it.

   Ancient walls border the old city.

   Poplar trees bordered the long driveway up to the house.

   Similarsurround, enclose, line, edge, flank

7. 7
   nouncountable

   A strip of ground, usually along the edge of a lawn or path, where ornamental plants are grown.

   The herbaceous border bloomed all through June.

   Gardeners weeded the border before the flower show.

   Similarbed, flowerbed

Showing meanings only. Show all 10