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Definition of margin noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

margin

noun
 
/ˈmɑːdʒɪn/
 
/ˈmɑːrdʒɪn/
[countable]
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  1. the empty space at the side of a written or printed page
    • the left-hand/right-hand margin
    • a narrow/wide margin
    • in the margin notes scribbled in the margin
    Topics Literature and writingb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • generous
    • wide
    • narrow
    verb + margin
    • adjust
    • leave
    • set
    preposition
    • at the margin
    • in the margin
    See full entry
  2. [usually singular] the amount of time, or number of votes, etc. by which somebody wins something
    • He won by a narrow margin.
    • by a margin of something She beat the other runners by a margin of ten seconds.
    • Members voted by a margin of 7–1 to become a public limited company.
    Extra Examples
    • He had an 18-second margin over his nearest rival.
    • She won by the narrowest of margins.
    • The amendment passed by an overwhelming margin.
    • The election is likely to be decided by razor-thin margins.
    • The winning margin was only 8 seconds.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • winning
    • comfortable
    • considerable
    verb + margin
    • have
    preposition
    • by a margin
    • margin over
    phrases
    • by the largest, narrowest, etc. of margins
    • a margin of victory
    See full entry
  3. (also profit margin)
    (business) the difference between the cost of buying or producing something and the price that it is sold for
    • What are your average operating margins?
    • a gross margin of 45 per cent
    Extra Examples
    • How does the company get by with such razor-thin margins?
    • The company relies on fat margins from luxury models.
    • They are operating at very low margins.
    • They hope to improve their margins on computers.
    Topics Businessc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • fat
    • high
    • large
    verb + margin
    • achieve
    • have
    • operate at
    margin + verb
    • increase
    • widen
    • narrow
    preposition
    • at a margin
    • margin on
    See full entry
  4. [usually singular] an extra amount of something such as time, space, money, etc. that you include in order to make sure that something is successful
    • a safety margin
    • The narrow gateway left me little margin for error as I reversed the car.
    see also margin of error
    Extra Examples
    • The schedule left no margin for error.
    • We have substantial reserves, which provide a good margin for uncertainties.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    • greater
    • wide
    verb + margin
    • allow (somebody/​something)
    • give (somebody/​something)
    • leave
    preposition
    • margin for
    phrases
    • a margin for error
    • a margin of error
    • a margin of safety
    See full entry
  5. (formal) the extreme edge or limit of a place
    • the eastern margin of the Indian Ocean
  6. [usually plural] the part that is not included in the main part of a group or situation synonym fringe
    • on the margins of something people living on the margins of society
  7. (Australian English, New Zealand English) an amount that is added to a basic wage, paid for special skill or responsibility
  8. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin margo, margin- ‘edge’.
See margin in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee margin in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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