brim

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

brim, n. [OE. brim, brimme, AS. brymme edge, border; akin to Icel. barmr, Sw. bräm, Dan. bræmme, G. brame, bräme. Possibly the same word as AS. brim surge, sea, and properly meaning, the line of surf at the border of the sea, and akin to L. fremere to roar, murmur. Cf. Breeze a fly.].

•  The rim, border, or upper edge of a cup, dish, or any hollow vessel used for holding anything.  [1913 Webster]

  "Saw I that insect on this goblet's brim
  I would remove it with an anxious pity."  [1913 Webster]
•  The edge or margin, as of a fountain, or of the water contained in it; the brink; border.  [1913 Webster]

  "The feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water."  [1913 Webster]
•  The rim of a hat.  Wordsworth.  [1913 Webster]

brim, v. i. 

 To be full to the brim.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

To brim over (literally or figuratively), to be so full that some of the contents flows over the brim; as, a cup brimming over with wine; a man brimming over with fun.

brim, v. t. 

 To fill to the brim, upper edge, or top.  [1913 Webster]
"Arrange the board and brim the glass."  [1913 Webster]

brim, a. 

 Fierce; sharp; cold. See Breme.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

brim, n. & v.
--n.
1 the edge or lip of a cup or other vessel, or of a hollow.
2 the projecting edge of a hat.
--v.tr. & intr. (brimmed, brimming) fill or be full to the brim.

Idiom

brim over overflow.

Derivative

brimless adj. brimmed adj. (usu. in comb.).

Etymology

ME brimme, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

brim

bank, board, border, bordure, brink, brow, coast, edge, featheredge, flange, frame, fringe, hem, labellum, labium, labrum, ledge, limb, limbus, lip, list, marge, margin, overflow, ragged edge, rim, selvage, shore, side, sideline, skirt, verge

ROGET THESAURUS

brim

Edge

N edge, verge, brink, brow, brim, margin, border, confine, skirt, rim, flange, side, mouth, jaws, chops, chaps, fauces, lip, muzzle, threshold, door, porch, portal, coast, shore, frame, fringe, flounce, frill, list, trimming, edging, skirting, hem, selvedge, welt, furbelow, valance, gimp, border, marginal, skirting, labial, labiated, marginated.