Adjacent Words

Brink definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BRINK, n. The edge, margin or border of a steep place, as of a precipice, or the bank of a river.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a region marking a boundary [syn: brink, threshold, verge]
2: the edge of a steep place
3: the limit beyond which something happens or changes; "on the verge of tears"; "on the brink of bankruptcy" [syn: verge, brink]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse brekka slope; akin to Middle Dutch brink grassland Date: 13th century 1. edge; especially the edge at the top of a steep place 2. a bank especially of a river 3. the point of onset ; verge <on the brink of war> 4. the threshold of danger

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the extreme edge of land before a precipice, river, etc., esp. when a sudden drop follows. 2 the furthest point before something dangerous or exciting is discovered. Phrases and idioms: on the brink of about to experience or suffer; in imminent danger of. Etymology: ME f. ON: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Brink Brink, n. [Dan. brink edge, verge; akin to Sw. brink declivity, hill, Icel. brekka; cf. LG. brink a grassy hill, W. bryn hill, bryncyn hillock.] The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also Fig. ``The brink of vice.'' --Bp. Porteus. ``The brink of ruin.'' --Burke. The plashy brink of weedy lake. --Bryant.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If you are on the brink of something, usually something important, terrible, or exciting, you are just about to do it or experience it. Their economy is teetering on the brink of collapse... Failure to communicate had brought the two nations to the brink of war. = verge N-SING: usu on/to/from the N of n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

brink: saphah, or sepheth = "the lip," "margin," "bank," "edge" (Ge 41:3; Ex 2:3; 7:15); qatseh, or qetseh = "an extremity," "border," "brim" (Jos 3:8,15; Isa 19:7; Da 12:5).

See BRIM.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Edge, border, margin, verge, brow. 2. Shore, bank, brim, rim, margin, marge, sands, border.

Moby Thesaurus

bank, board, border, bordure, brim, brow, coast, edge, featheredge, flange, frame, fringe, hem, labellum, labium, labrum, ledge, limb, limbus, lip, list, marge, margin, perimeter, periphery, point, ragged edge, rim, selvage, shore, side, sideline, skirt, threshold, verge