fringe

Everyday

1. A fringe is hair cut short and straight across the forehead; Americans call it bangs. tree →
2. A fringe is a border of loose threads on the edge of cloth, like on a scarf or rug. tree →
3. The fringe or fringes of a place or group is its outer edge. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life children get a fringe cut at the hairdresser's; scarves and cowboy jackets have fringes. In stories the fringe of a forest or town is its edge. Phrases: «cut a fringe», «on the fringe of», «fringe benefits», «a fringe festival».

Examples

• My fringe is getting into my eyes. tree →
• Mum trimmed my fringe. tree →
• The scarf has a fringe on each end. tree →
• They camped on the fringe of the forest. tree →
• The rug had a long white fringe. tree →
• She grew out her fringe. tree →
• Houses spread out on the fringes of the town. tree →
• Not a tinkling of a metal fringe broke the silence. tree →

Note

Countable. In the hair sense, British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand English say «fringe»; American English says «bangs».

In Jewish tradition

The tassels (tzitzit) on the corners of a garment, with a blue thread.

Interpretation. Jews wear fringed garments to remember and do all the commandments; tradition says the knots and strings add up to 613, and the blue thread recalls the sky and God's throne.

Examples

• 'Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them throughout their generations fringes in the corners of their garments, and that they put with the fringe of each corner a thread of blue. (Torah NUM.15.38, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. In the hair sense, British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand English say «fringe»; American English says «bangs».