brink
Americannoun
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the edge or margin of a steep place or of land bordering water.
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any extreme edge; verge.
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a crucial or critical point, especially of a situation or state beyond which success or catastrophe occurs.
We were on the brink of war.
noun
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the edge, border, or verge of a steep place
the brink of the precipice
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the highest point; top
the sun fell below the brink of the hill
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the land at the edge of a body of water
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the verge of an event or state
the brink of disaster
Other Word Forms
- brinkless adjective
Etymology
Origin of brink
1250–1300; Middle English brink < Old Norse ( Danish ) brink, cognate with MLG brink edge, hillside, Old Norse brekka slope, hill
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.
"The strategy here is to drive the system to the brink," Herrero told AFP.
From Barron's
But it was not Manchester United's day, it was Manchester City, on the brink of a first league title in 10 years, who were in party mood.
From BBC
After failing to qualify for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, Italy are on the brink of becoming the first former winners to miss out on three consecutive tournaments.
From BBC
The Iberian lynx is one of the world's rarest wildcats and was on the brink of extinction in the early 2000s, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining.
From BBC
But that strategy has dramatically backfired, propelling the aging franchise closer to the brink of the point of no return.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions 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.
