on the point of
4
3.6
- idiom
:
a punto de
- I was just on the point of calling you.
Olives on the point of falling from the tree, right?
- Olives on the point of falling from the tree, right?
- Batons main challenge at that point was not beating the Germans, but dealing with the French army on the point of collapse.
- Let's let's I know, let's get on the point of no return.
- So you know what, Listen, I've on the point of being an owner.
Examples
-
That he'd been working very hard in town and he was on the point of having a nervous breakdown.
-
Mameha and I were on the point of walking right past when Nobu emerged.
Fiction book (1997) -
As a matter of fact, I was on the point of telling you about it yesterday.
-
I'm on the point of leaving myself, as you see.
-
He's now on the point of retiring.
-
Vi heard them coming and was ready for them, on the point of locking her front door.
Fiction book (1990) -
I found Marc in the bathroom, on the point of taking his ump-teenth bath.
Fiction book (1997) -
All laughed again, including the boy, although his face was strained and he looked on the point of exhaustion.
Fiction book (1993) -
Clay was on the point of leaving for Doolan's, intending to collect Albert Finn on the way.
Fiction book (1995) -
I was just on the point of calling you.
Synonyms
144
3.8
Very close to doing or feeling something
52
4.5
Very close to something important or dangerous happening
20
3.9
Very close to achieving something important
9
6.0
Close to reaching something important, like success or a big discovery
3
4.2
About to begin something new or important
How Close
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'about to do something' follows directly from combining the locative preposition 'on' with 'point' in its temporal/stage sense and the genitive marker 'of' to mean 'at the point of' doing X. This composition is cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'a punto de') and follows standard English prepositional patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
On the point of comes from the image of standing on the very tip or point of something, so you are ready to move or fall. That's why it means 'very close to doing something'.