brink
UK[brɪŋk]US[brɪŋk]
n
The point in time when something is about to begin or happen, especially something bad or exciting.
n
The edge of a steep place or of land bordering water.
Etymology
The word 'brink' entered English in the 13th century from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch, where brink meant "edge" or "grassy edge," or from a related Old Norse word brekka for a slope. These Germanic terms likely share a common ancestor, possibly from a Proto-Germanic root related to a steep edge or a break in the land. The core semantic concept of a "border" or "margin" has remained remarkably stable. Over time, its application expanded metaphorically from a physical precipice to describe any critical threshold, especially the verge of a significant, often dangerous, event or state.
Analysis
This word is a simplex form. It originates from Middle English brink, brenk, likely from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse brekka meaning "slope, hill"). Its functional role is as a complete noun root.
Examples
The company was on the brink of financial collapse.
She stood on the brink of the cliff, looking down at the waves.
His actions brought the two nations to the brink of war.