英汉词典

1. (尤指选票或比分的)差额，差数
    A margin is the difference between two amounts, especially the difference in the number of votes or points between the winner and the loser in an election or other contest.

    e.g. They could end up with a 50-point winning margin...
           他们最终可能会以50分的优势获胜。
    e.g. The Sunday Times remains the brand leader by a huge margin...
           《星期日泰晤士报》仍以巨大的优势稳居报业龙头的地位。

2. 页边空白;页边;白边
    The margin of a written or printed page is the empty space at the side of the page.

    e.g. She added her comments in the margin.
           她在页边的空白处写下了评语。

3. 余地;富余
    If there is a margin for something in a situation, there is some freedom to choose what to do or decide how to do it.

    e.g. The money is collected in a straightforward way with little margin for error...
           钱是直接筹集上来的，不太容易出错。
    e.g. These charges can carry prison terms of up to five years, though there's a wide margin of discretion...
           尽管量刑幅度很大，但是这些指控仍面临长达5年的刑期。

4. 边缘;边沿
    The margin of a place or area is the extreme edge of it.

    e.g. ...the low coastal plain along the western margin...
           沿着西部边缘的地势低平的沿海平原
    e.g. These islands are on the margins of human habitation.
           这些岛屿位于人类聚居地的边缘。

5. （社会、群体或活动中的）边缘地位，非主体地位
    To be on the margins of a society, group, or activity means to be among the least typical or least important parts of it.

    e.g. Students have played an important role in the past, but for the moment, they're on the margins.
           学生过去曾经发挥了重要的作用，不过现在他们变得无足轻重了。
    e.g. ...signs of the party's rapid retreat to the political margins.
           该党在政治上迅速失势的种种迹象

6. see also: profit margin