hedge

[hɛdʒ]

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A hedge is a row of shrubs or small trees that are planted close together for protection and decoration. It can also mean to make something more expensive by artificially limiting its supply.

You see hedges everywhere, but often you don't even notice them - they're just there in the background, surrounding a garden or a park. But sometimes people plant hedges specifically to block out views or create private spaces. If you're on a walk and someone puts up a new hedge around their yard, it might make their property look even more beautiful, but it could also make it feel less connected to the rest of the neighborhood.

How common is "hedge"?

Word hedge is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

A thicket of bushes or other shrubbery, especially one planted as a fence between two portions of land, or to separate the parts of a garden.
Example: He trims the hedge once a week.
A barrier (often consisting of a line of persons or objects) to protect someone or something from harm.
A mound of earth, stone- or turf-faced, often topped with bushes, used as a fence between any two portions of land.
A non-committal or intentionally ambiguous statement.
Contract or arrangement reducing one's exposure to risk (for example the risk of price movements or interest rate movements).
Example: A hedge is an investment position intended to offset potential losses/gains that may be incurred by a companion investment. In simple language, a hedge is used to reduce any substantial losses/gains suffered by an individual or an organization.
(noun adjunct) Used attributively, with figurative indication of a person's upbringing, or professional activities, taking place by the side of the road; third-rate.