the space around the printed or written matter on a page.
an amount allowed or available beyond what is actually necessary:to allow a margin for error.
a limit in condition, capacity, etc., beyond or below which something ceases to exist, be desirable, or be possible:the margin of endurance; the margin of sanity.
a border or edge.
Stamps[Philately.]selvage (def. 3).
Business[Finance.]
security, as a percentage in money, deposited with a broker by a client as a provision against loss on transactions.
the amount representing the customer's investment or equity in such an account.
Businessthe difference between the amount of a loan and the market value of the collateral pledged as security for it.
Business[Com.]the difference between the cost and the selling price.
Businessan amount or degree of difference:The measure passed by a margin of just three votes.
Business[Econ.]the point at which the return from economic activity barely covers the cost of production, and below which production is unprofitable.
Insects[Entomol.]the border of an insect's wing.
v.t.
to provide with a margin or border.
to furnish with marginal notes, as a document.
to enter in the margin, as of a book.
Business[Finance.]to deposit a margin upon.
Stock Exchange, Businessto purchase (securities) on margin:That stock was heavily margined during the last month.
Latin margin- (stem of margō) border; akin to march2
Middle English 1300–50
3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged confine, bound.
4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged rim, verge, brink. See edge.