by its edge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by its edge" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is positioned or located at the boundary or border of an object or area. Example: "The knife was placed carefully by its edge on the table to avoid any accidents."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Putney's river was messy, inelegant and functional; I spent a lot of time sitting by its edge and thinking, though I no longer remember about what.

The Guardian - Books

The tree is directly derived from each individual complex, reflecting the relative 2D arrangement of structure diagram elements by its edge sorting.

Journal of Cheminformatics

The sheet shown in Figure 3 originally had side lengths that exceeded 1 mm, and after some fortuitous breakage became bound to the carbon tape by its edge.

Nanoscale Research Letters

They found an invertible relationship between a phylogenetic tree, as characterized by its edge length spectrum, and the probability distribution of site patterns (referred to as the sequence spectrum).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Swish the quarter in the distilled water to remove contaminants and chlorine residue present in tap water, holding it gently by its edges.

WikiHow

The offending newspaper is held up by its edges as though it is contaminated, while the President and his men wryly note that the zealous Baker coterie has been "tiptoeing through the tulips" again to promote the boss.

The New York Times - Magazine

Kelley tells Chig's and Carlyle's separate stories mostly straight, but in between he grabs language by its edges and bends it as far as he can, in order to pull the bourgeois, Ivy-educated Chig and the impoverished, street-smart Carlyle into a single consciousness, made of their common national history.

The New Yorker

This simple trick requires you to first hold a pencil by its edges with both of your hands and then make it look like it has disappeared into thin air.

WikiHow

Two large screens hung from the ceiling at opposite sides of the room, and in the center of the space a white parachute was suspended by its edges, lit from behind, resembling an inverted jellyfish.

The New Yorker

"'Varied images rise up in our minds as we reflect on our youthful days: the classrooms, a stroll through the woods, roll call in the Big Room, quiet time in the chapel,' " he read, holding the letter delicately, by its edges.

The New Yorker

We're playing with the idea of hollowness, attempting to define emptiness by its edges, visually". See the simple yet entrancing black-and-white vision above and, if you're so inclined, go show that emergency flashlight under your bed some overdue appreciation.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the precise location of something relative to an object, use "by its edge" to clearly indicate proximity to the object's boundary. This is particularly useful in scientific or technical writing where accuracy is key.

Common error

Ensure the context clearly indicates which object "its" refers to. If there's any ambiguity, clarify by using a more specific phrase like "by the table's edge" or "by the paper's edge."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by its edge" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or verb by indicating location or position relative to something's edge. Ludwig's examples show its usage in both literal and slightly more abstract senses.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33.3%

News & Media

33.3%

Wiki

33.3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by its edge" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that indicates a position near the boundary of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is valid and adaptable across various contexts. While not extremely frequent, its clear and precise meaning makes it valuable for descriptive and technical writing. The phrase sees usage in Science, News & Media and Wiki contexts, making it useful to a wide audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

along its border

Focuses on the boundary rather than the specific edge.

at its periphery

Highlights the outer limits or boundary of something.

near its rim

Specifically refers to the outer circular edge of an object.

adjacent to its border

Emphasizes the position being next to the border.

at the margin of it

Highlights something is at the edge, similar to a border.

on its brink

Suggests being close to the edge of a significant change or event.

close to its extremity

Emphasizes being near the furthest point or limit.

bordering its side

Focuses on sharing a border with the side of something.

on the skirts of it

Suggests being on the outer part or edge of something.

along the perimeter of it

Emphasizes following the outer boundary line.

FAQs

How can I use "by its edge" in a sentence?

You can use "by its edge" to describe something positioned near the border or boundary of an object. For example, "The crumb was located by its edge" or "The building stood by its edge".

What are some alternatives to saying "by its edge"?

Alternatives include "along its border", "at its periphery", or "near its rim", depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "by its edge" and "at its edge"?

While similar, "by its edge" often implies closer proximity or contact than "at its edge". "By" suggests being right next to it, whereas "at" can indicate a more general location near the edge.

Can "by its edge" be used to describe abstract concepts?

While primarily used for physical objects, "by its edge" can metaphorically describe abstract concepts bordering on something. For example, "The project teetered by its edge", but this is less common.