Collins English-English Dictionary

margin ['mɒːʤɪn]

1. 1. n Also (archaic) margent

2. 2. n an edge or rim, and the area immediately adjacent to it; border

3. 3. n the blank space surrounding the text on a page

4. 4. n a vertical line on a page, esp one on the left-hand side, delineating this space

5. 5. n an additional amount or one beyond the minimum necessary

   a margin of error

6. 6. n [chiefly Austral] a payment made in addition to a basic wage, esp for special skill or responsibility

7. 7. n a bound or limit

8. 8. n the amount by which one thing differs from another

   a large margin separated the parties

9. 9. n [commerce] the profit on a transaction

10. 10. n [Economics] the minimum return below which an enterprise becomes unprofitable

11. 11. n [Finance] collateral deposited by a client with a broker as security

12. 12. n the excess of the value of a loan's collateral over the value of the loan

13. 13. vt. [tr] to provide with a margin; border

14. 14. vt. [Finance] to deposit a margin upon

15. 15. vt. [Etymology] C14: from Latin margo border; related to march², mark¹