Wedge

n. [A-S. wecg, wæcg, Icel. veggr, Dan. vægge, Sw. vigg, D. wig, wigge, O. H. Ger. wekki, weggi, M. H. Ger. weeke.]

1. A piece of metal, or other hard material, thick at one end and sloping to a thin edge at the other, used in splitting wood, rocks, &c., in raising heavy bodies, and the like;—one of the five elementary machines, called the mechanical powers. [See Illust. of Mechanical Powers.]
2. (Geom.) A solid of five sides, having a rectangular base, two rectangular or trapezoidal sides meeting in an edge, and two triangular ends. a, b, c, Wedge.
3. A mass of metal, especially when of a wedge-like form. “Wedges of gold.” Milton.
4. Any thing in the form of a wedge, as a body of troops drawn up in such a form.
5. The person whose name stands lowest on the list of the classical tripos;—so called from the name of a person (Wedgewood) who occupied this position with respect to the first list of 1828. [Cant., Cambridge Univ., Eng.] C. A. Bristed.

Spherical wedge (Geom.), the portion of a sphere included between two planes which intersect a diameter.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. WEDGED; p. pr. & vb. n. WEDGING.]

1. To cleave with a wedge; to separate with wedges; to rive.
2. To force or drive as a wedge is driven; to crowd or compress closely.

*Among the crowd in the abbey where a finger Could not be wedged in more. Shak.*

3. To force, as a wedge forces its way; as, to wedge one's way. Milton.
4. To fix in the manner of a wedge. “Wedged in the rocky shoals, and sticking fast.” Dryden.
5. To fasten with a wedge, or with wedges; as, to wedge on a scythe; to wedge in a rail, or a piece of timber.
6. (Pottery.) To cut, as clay, into wedge-like masses, and work by dashing together, to expel air-bubbles, &c. Tomlinson.