frontier

noun

1. 1

   The part of a country which borders or faces another country or unsettled region.

   the frontier of civilization

   There were not many passengers, and the journey was uneventful until the frontier was reached at Padang Besar, although an armed escort of Malay police accompanied the train from Alor Star.

   From time to time the coaches of the Lötschberg Railway itself, which in comfort and décor can rank with the finest in Europe today, travel far from the frontiers of Switzerland on through workings such as these.

   Unlike a boundary, which evokes the image of a line on a map and demarcates spheres of political control, the frontier is an area where colonisation is taking place....no authority is recognised as legitimate by all parties or is able to [exercise] undisputed control over the area.

2. 2

   The most advanced or recent version of something; the leading edge.

   Near-synonyms: vanguard, state of the art

   the frontier of solid state electronics

3. 3

   obsoleteAn outwork of a fortification.

   thou hast talk'd. Of sallies and retires, of trenches, tents, Of palisadoes, frontiers, parapets

verb

1. 1

   To live as pioneers on frontier territory.

2. 2

   obsoleteTo place on the frontier.

   now that it is no more a Border, nor frontiered with Enemies, why should such Privileges be any more continued?

Forms

plural

frontiers

past tense

frontiered

past participle

frontiered

present participle

frontiering

third person singular

frontiers