wedged

Everyday

1. Wedged means stuck tightly in a narrow space. tree →
2. To have wedged something means to have pushed it tightly into a space, or to have held something open or shut with a wedge. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life a door is wedged open with a doorstop; a ball gets wedged in a fence. In stories, a character is wedged between two people on a crowded bus. In science, a wedge is a simple machine (like an axe blade or a doorstop) that pushes things apart or holds them. Phrases: «wedged in», «wedged between», «wedged open», «wedged shut».

Examples

• The ball was wedged between two branches. tree →
• Dad wedged the door open with a rubber stop. tree →
• My foot got wedged under the seat. tree →
• I sat wedged between my two big brothers. tree →
• The window was wedged shut. tree →
• A book was wedged under the table leg to stop it wobbling. tree →
• He landed on his head with his leg in the air, his gun being wedged between two paving-stones. tree →

Note

Regular verb: wedged (drop the e, add -d). A «wedge» is a simple machine in science, a triangle-shaped block. In safety, never wedge fire doors open.