brink

name

1. A surname.

noun

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”).

1. The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge.

   “the brink of a river”

   “And the appearance of it much comforted us, especially seeing so goodly a land, and wooded to the brink of the sea.”

2. The edge or border.

   “the brink of success”

   “As South Korea heads to the polls, can Lee Jae-myung bring the country back from the brink? [title]”