margin

noun

1. The edge of the paper, typically left blank when printing but sometimes used for annotations etc.
2. The edge or border of any flat surface.

   “Nothing could be more business-like than the construction of the stout dams, and nothing more gently rural than the limpid lakes, with the grand old forest trees marshalled round their margins like a veteran army that had marched down to drink, only to be stricken motionless at the water’s edge.”

   “The lobule margins, furthermore, are arched away from the lobe, with the consequence that (when fully inflated) the abaxial leaf surface forms the interior lining of the lobule.”

3. (figuratively)The edge defining inclusion in or exclusion from a set or group.

   “As far as space is concerned, Mary Lamb finds herself at the farthest margin of society - among tramps - when the novel begins.”

4. A difference or ratio between results, characteristics, scores.

   “margin of victory”

   “Chelsea will point to that victory margin as confirmation of their superiority - but Spurs will complain their hopes of turning the game around were damaged fatally by Atkinson's decision.”

   “in Kentucky, for example, Trump beat Hillary Clinton by a nearly two-to-one margin”

5. A permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits.

   “margin of error”

6. The yield or profit; the selling price minus the cost of production.
7. Collateral security deposited with a broker, to compensate the broker in the event of loss in the speculative buying and selling of stocks, commodities, etc.

   “The purchaser then hands over this margin to the person with whom he hypothecates the Stock.”

   “If you borrow from your broker via trading on margin, you need to add monthly margin interest charges to your trading costs as well.”

8. That which is ancillary; periphery.

   “This model merely nips at the margins.”

9. The shape of the edge of a leaf.

   “Red Whortleberry leaves have a crenate margin.”

verb

1. (transitive)To add a margin to.
2. (transitive)To enter (notes etc.) into the margin.
3. (transitive)To trade (securities etc.) on margin (collateral).

   “This sounds easy, but bear in mind that margined portfolios decline faster than cash portfolios in a bear market.”