Plural of berm; narrow strips of land, grass, or shoulder areas between a road and sidewalk, or between a canal and its embankment.
From Dutch 'berm' or Middle Low German, originally referring to the narrow strip of land on the edge of a fortified place or waterway, later applied to road construction terminology.
That thin strip of grass between the sidewalk and street you walk on has a specific name—it's not just 'the grass'—and it serves the practical purpose of protecting pedestrians from traffic!
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