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brinkthe extreme edge or margin; a crucial or critical point

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: the extreme edge or margin; a crucial or critical point

Pronunciation (IPA): /brɪŋk/

Example Sentences

  • My patience was on the brink when my cat knocked over my coffee for the third time today.
  • Scientists warn that the glacier is on the brink of complete melting.
  • He was on the brink of confessing his love when her phone rang.

brink

NOUN

[/brɪŋk/]

the extreme edge or margin; a crucial or critical point

She stood at the brink of the cliff, toes curling over the edge.
💡 Concept

She stood at the brink of the cliff, toes curling over the edge.

Writer with ink pen at cliff's brink - extreme edge meets ink!
🧠 Mnemonic

Writer with ink pen at cliff's brink - extreme edge meets ink!

On the brink, I think and watch it all sink
🎵 Rhyme

On the brink, I think and watch it all sink

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/brɪŋk/
🇬🇧 UK/brɪŋk/

🌳Etymology

Rootbrink

Origin

From Middle Low German 'brink' meaning edge or margin, related to Old Norse 'brekka' meaning slope. The word entered English during the Middle Ages through trade and contact with Germanic languages.

Breakdown

brink (noun) - a single morpheme with no productive prefix or suffix; the word itself is the root meaning 'edge' or 'margin'

🎵Rhyme

drinklinksinkthinkwink
drink
link
sink
think
wink

🔗Collocations

on the brink of
brink of disaster
brink of war
brink of collapse
push to the brink
brink of extinction
step back from the brink

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

My patience was on the brink when my cat knocked over my coffee for the third time today.

Scientists warn that the glacier is on the brink of complete melting.

😄 Fun example

He was on the brink of confessing his love when her phone rang.

The negotiations brought both countries back from the brink of conflict.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

edgevergethresholdmarginprecipice

Antonyms

centermiddlesafety

Related

borderboundarylimitcrisiscliff

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