bleeding edge
4
8.6
- noun
- /ˈbliːdɪŋ ɛdʒ/
- Investing in bleeding edge technology can lead to high rewards, but it also carries significant risks.
- bleeding-edge technology
- bleeding-edge tech
- bleeding-edge engineering
Loading YouTube…
Watch on YouTubeAnd I'm afraid that bit gets crazy at the bleeding edge.
- And I'm afraid that bit gets crazy at the bleeding edge.
- And the idea of this class is to cover the the bleeding edge, whatever the frontiers of what's known, and also to push that edge further.
- And I think that the government should always be on the bleeding edge of not needing to make money in in some critical, important industries for the future.
Examples
-
That's the problem with being on the bleeding edge.
-
"In keeping up with technology, you have to decide if you want to be on the forefront or the bleeding edge," he says.
Academic text (2007) -
But the bleeding edge of Internet culture is a pretty good window into the future.
-
This is an awesome piece of bleeding edge tech.
-
His work is always on the bleeding edge; his storytelling and design sense are always fantastic.
Blog text (17) -
I would love the ability to switch back and forth between a stable production version and a bleeding-edge beta system.
Blog text (22) -
As one of my university colleagues put it, the trick is to figure out how to be at the leading edge without finding yourself at the bleeding edge.
Academic text (1994) -
But both fellows are on the bleeding edge of their consultative professions.
Blog text (4) -
They are knowledgeable, bleeding edge, well connected, enthusiastic, and honest.
Blog text (28) -
As SSDs become more mainstream, some of the focus has shifted from having the fastest bleeding-edge specifications to the reliability of the device itself.
Blog text (18)
Synonyms
112
4.6
The newest and most advanced technology or method at a time
46
5.6
Very new and modern because it uses the latest ideas and technology
How Advanced
Surface Forms
Morphology
bleeding + edge
Although 'edge' can suggest a frontier and 'bleeding' evokes harm or extremeness, the specific sense 'most advanced (and risky) stage of technology' is a metaphorical, jargonistic extension (an intensification of 'cutting edge') that is not directly derivable from the literal words. This construction is partially inferable (danger/extreme) but the specialized meaning in tech discourse requires prior exposure, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely only partially understand it.
Etymology
Bleeding edge comes from the image of a very sharp edge that can make you bleed, like the front of a knife. So it describes technology at the very front of development: it is very new but can be risky or unstable, and people use 'bleeding edge' to mean 'very new and risky'.