brink
noun/ˈbɹɪŋk/ · [ˈbɹʷɪŋk]
Etymology From Middle English brinke, brenke, from Old Norse *brenka, brekka, from Proto-Germanic *brinkǭ, *brinkaz (“hill, edge (of land)”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰren- (“to project”). Cognate with Dutch brink (“grassland”), regional German Brink, Icelandic brekka (“slope”); also Tocharian B prenke (“island”), Irish braine (“prow”).
1
The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge.
- the brink of a river
- And the appearance of it much comforted us, especially seeing so goodly a land, and wooded to the brink of the sea.1622, Edward Winslow, William Bradford, Mourt's Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth:
2
Figuratively The edge or border.
- the brink of success
- As South Korea heads to the polls, can Lee Jae-myung bring the country back from the brink? [title]2025 June 1, Raphael Rashid, “As South Korea heads to the polls, can Lee Jae-myung bring the country back from the brink?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
- Derived terms
- brinkless, brinkmanship, brinkmate, brink pink, brinksman, on the brink, on the brink of, sea-brink