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Glite Dictionary
on the edge of

on the edge of

20 3.9
Very close to achieving something important
  • idiom
translation icon : a punto de
  • And the reason I share this with you is because many of you are right there on the edge of success.
  • teeter on the edge of

We've got our toes right on the edge of change.

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Examples

  • You're right on the edge of succeeding right as it all goes to hell.

    Film Courage

  • The team is on the edge of winning the championship after an impressive season.

  • And I just think people are burned out everywhere or on the edge of being burned out.

    Chris Williamson

  • I feel we're on the edge of a precipice, with all my heart

    The Palace (2023)

  • We've got our toes right on the edge of change.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • The town is on the edge of full-blown panic, Jim.

    Bogieville (2024)

  • Still hovering on the edge of greatness

    Paranoid (2000)

  • I'm sure at this point she's on the edge of exhaustion.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Many students are on the edge of achieving their dreams after years of hard work.

  • All of us are on the edge of a breakthrough in scientific research.

Synonyms

on the verge of
vson the edge of
144 3.8

Very close to doing or feeling something

is about to reach a significant achievement or experience
near
vson the edge of
111 1.0

Almost happening or becoming true

specifies closeness to an important achievement rather than general nearness
on the brink of
vson the edge of
52 4.5

Very close to something important or dangerous happening

focuses on nearing an important outcome without implying danger or suddenness
on the cusp of
vson the edge of
9 6.0

Close to reaching something important, like success or a big discovery

emphasizes closeness to an important achievement rather than the change
on the point of
vson the edge of
4 3.6

About to do something very soon

highlights nearing a meaningful achievement rather than simply imminent action
at the threshold
vson the edge of
3 4.2

About to begin something new or important

stresses being close to achieving significance rather than merely beginning

Antonyms

distantly
9 3.8

From far away in place, time, or family connection

How Close

on the verge of
144 3.8
on the edge of
20 3.9
imminent
168 4.8
near
240 1.0

Surface Forms

on the edge of main

Morphology

on + the + edge + of

The meaning 'very close to achieving or experiencing something' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'on' (location) + 'edge' (boundary) + 'of' (linking to the event), yielding 'at the boundary of' or 'close to' that event. This spatial-to-figurative mapping is common across languages and follows a standard compositional pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the words will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

On the edge of comes from the image of someone standing on the very edge of a cliff or stage, almost ready to step forward. That picture of being almost over the line is why it means 'very close to' achieving or experiencing something important.