knife edge
Americannoun
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the cutting edge of a knife.
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anything very sharp.
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a wedge on the fine edge of which a scale beam, pendulum, or the like, balances or oscillates.
noun
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the sharp cutting edge of a knife
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any sharp edge
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a sharp-edged wedge of hard material on which the beam of a balance pivots or about which a pendulum is suspended
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a critical point in the development of a situation, process of making a decision, etc
Etymology
Origin of knife edge
First recorded in 1810–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nevertheless, investors should watch Bitcoin through the long weekend with the Middle East situation on a knife edge and market-moving news all but inevitable.
From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026
One farmer in Somerset told the BBC that he was living on a "knife edge" as his crops were days away from rotting in the floodwater.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
"I had five seizures brought on by extreme stress because I was just living on a knife edge all the time," she added.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025
But South Africa roared back into the contest in the second half of the day as Australia collapsed to 144-8 - a lead of 218 - to leave the match on a knife edge.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2025
“I want a stamp,” I said, teetering on the knife edge of rudeness.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
