What are the origins of the sayings hin edge of the wedge and hin end of the wedge?
When you begin to drive a wooden wedge under an object you are trying to lift, the major problem is getting it started: in other words, getting the ‘thin end of the wedge’ under the object. Once you have the thin end in place, the rest is inevitable and much easier – you keep driving the wedge until it’s all the way in place. So the ‘thin end of the wedge’ is the difficult start of a process which will inevitably lead to something much more significant happening.
