/'mɑ:dʒɪn; `mɑrdʒɪn/
n
1 (a) blank space round the written or printed matter on a page （书写品或印刷品纸页上的）空白边缘, 页边空白
*wide/narrow margins 宽的[窄的]页边
* notes written in the margin 写在页边上的注解.
(b) edge or border 边; 缘; 边沿
*the margin of a lake, pool, pond, etc 湖、水池、池塘等的边.
2 (a) amount of space, time, votes, etc by which sth is won 获得某事物相差的时空、票数等的量; 差数; 差额; 差距
*a wide margin between the winner and the loser, eg a big difference in points scored 胜败双方比分的巨大差数
* He beat the other runners by a margin of ten seconds/by a wide margin. 他以领先十秒[很大差距]战胜了其他赛跑者.
* She won the seat by a margin of ten votes. 她以十票优势赢得席位.
(b) amount of space, time, etc which is allowed for success or safety 为成功或安全而应有的时空等的量; 余地
*Leave a good safety margin between your car and the next. 要在你的汽车和另一辆车之间留出一段足够的安全距离.
3 (commerce 商) difference between cost price and selling price 成本与售价间的差额; 赢利; 利润
*a business operating on tight (ie small) (profit) margins 赚头小的生意.

n[C]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin;Origin: margo 'border']
the empty space at the side of a page
　Someone had scribbled a note in the margin .
　Use double spacing and wide margins to leave room for comments.
the difference in the number of votes, points etc that exists between the winners and the losers of a competition or election
by a wide/narrow/significant etc margin
　They're a world-class team and it was no surprise that they won by such a wide margin.
by a margin of 10 points/100 votes etc
　The bill was approved by a margin of 55 votes.
the difference between what it costs a business to buy or produce something and what they sell it for
　Margins are low and many companies are struggling.
　Within 10 years they had a gross profit margin of 50%.
[usually singular]
an additional amount of something such as time, money, or space that you include in order to make sure that you are successful in achieving something
　It'll take about 30 minutes to dry but I'd allow a safety margin of, say, another 10 minutes.
margin of error
the degree to which a calculation might or can be wrong
　The survey has a margin of error of 2.1%.
margin for error
how many mistakes you can make and still be able to achieve something
　At this late stage in the competition there is absolutely no margin for error.
technical or literary the edge of something, especially an area of land or water
　the western margin of southern Africa
on the margin(s)
a person on the margins of a situation or group has very little power, importance or influence
= on the fringes
　unemployed youths living on the margins of society