brink

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”).

noun

  1. The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge.
    the brink of a river
  2. (figurative) The edge or border.
    the brink of success

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