border

The line or area where one country ends and another begins.

• We crossed the border yesterday.
• Police checked our passports at the border.
• Their village is close to the border.

How to use it: border between A and B (They live near the border between France and Spain.)

Similar words: frontier, boundary

Common phrases: cross the border, border guard, border crossing, state border

A strip or line around the edge of something, often used as decoration.

• The card has a gold border.
• She added borders to all the pictures.
• A narrow blue border runs around the page.

How to use it: border around something (She drew a border around the photo.)

Similar words: edging, trim

Common phrases: decorative border, red border, border around something

To be next to another place, sharing an edge with it.

• The farm borders a river.
• Three countries border this lake.
• Their property borders on the forest.

How to use it: border something (Germany borders Poland.); border on something (Our land borders on a nature reserve.)

Similar words: adjoin

Common phrases: border a country, border on something, border the sea, border with something

To form a line or strip around the edge of something.

• Trees border the path.
• The garden was bordered with a low hedge.
• A silver line borders each page.

How to use it: be bordered with something (The tablecloth is bordered with lace.); be bordered in something (The announcement was bordered in black.)

Similar words: surround, edge

Common phrases: border a path, border something with, border something in

To add a line or decorative strip around the edge of something.

• Border the picture with a thin line.
• She bordered the blanket with soft fabric.
• He carefully bordered each card in blue.

How to use it: border something with something (She bordered the cloth with ribbon.); border something in something (Border the invitation in gold.)

Similar words: edge, trim

Common phrases: border a page, border something with, border something in