brink
/brɪŋk/ (bre, ipa) · /brɪŋk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbriŋk/ (ame, mw)
brink — 名詞
1. the moment just before something important, dangerous, or completely new starts
關頭；臨界點
事件即將發生的關鍵時刻
the moment just before something important, dangerous, or completely new starts happening — used when a person, country, or situation is so close to that change that it feels almost certain.
After months of secret talks, the two countries were on the brink of signing a peace deal.
經過數月密談，兩國已到了簽署和平協議的關頭。
on the brink of + verb-ing for an imminent event
Nora's small bakery stood on the brink of closing until a local investor stepped in.
Nora 的小麵包店一度瀕臨倒閉，直到一位在地投資人出手。
on the brink of + verb-ing for a feared bad outcome
Doctors said the patient had been brought back from the brink of death twice that week.
醫生說那位病人那週兩度從鬼門關被救了回來。
By 1929, the global economy was teetering on the brink of collapse.
到了一九二九年，全球經濟已搖搖欲墜，到了崩盤的臨界點。
Mateo felt he was on the brink of a major discovery in his lab.
Mateo 覺得自己在實驗室裡即將有重大發現。
- verge
near-identical; 'on the verge of' is interchangeable with 'on the brink of', though 'verge' is slightly more neutral while 'brink' often hints at risk.
- threshold
more formal; suggests a doorway you are about to cross, often used for life stages or new eras.
- edge
more general and concrete; 'on the edge of disaster' works, but 'edge' is also used in many non-temporal senses.
文法句型
on the brink of + noun
on the brink of + verb-ing
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'on the brink of' (or 'from the brink of'). Followed by a noun naming the change (war, collapse, success) or by an '-ing' form naming the action. Rarely used on its own without 'of'.
常見錯誤
2. the narrow strip of ground right where the land drops away sharply — for example
崖邊；岸邊
懸崖、河岸等陡降地形的最邊緣
the narrow strip of ground right where the land drops away sharply — for example along a river bank, beside a deep canyon, or at the very top of a steep rock face.
Hana crawled the last few metres and peered cautiously over the brink of the cliff.
Hana 爬了最後幾公尺，小心翼翼地探頭望向崖邊下方。
the brink of + cliff/cliff-like feature
Two wild horses were drinking at the brink of the river when the storm broke.
暴風雨來襲時，兩匹野馬正在河岸邊喝水。
the brink of a river / lake (the very edge of the bank)
A single pine tree clung to the brink of the canyon, its roots half exposed.
一棵松樹緊攀在峽谷的崖邊，樹根半露在外。
Children were warned not to play near the brink of the old quarry pool.
大人警告孩子們不要在舊採石場水池的邊緣玩耍。
- edge
the everyday word; works for any boundary, sharp or flat. 'Brink' is reserved for drops.
- verge
literary; can mean the strip of grass beside a road, so the overlap with 'brink' is partial.
- rim
used for round features — the rim of a canyon, crater, or bowl. 'Brink' suits straight or river edges better.
- middle
the centre, opposite of the outer edge.
文法句型
the brink of + noun (cliff / river / pool)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a physical edge you can stand on or fall from, not a moment in time. Most often paired with 'of the cliff / of the river / of the canyon'. In everyday English, 'edge' is far more common; 'brink' here is slightly literary.