on the brink of (something)

on the brink of (something)

On the verge of doing something or of having some imminent event happen, especially that which is bad or disastrous. The company is still doing business, but ever since the recession hit they've been teetering on the brink of closing down. The crew is so maddened by the pay cuts that everyone is on the brink of mutiny. We're on the brink of success with these experiments, I just know it.

See also: brink, of, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

on the brink (of doing something)

Fig. on the verge of doing something; almost to the point of doing something. I was on the brink of selling my car to make ends meet when the tax refund came in the mail.

See also: brink, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.