brink

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɹɪŋk/
• Rhymes: -ɪŋk

Etymology

From Middle English brinke, from Proto-Germanic *brinkaz (compare Dutch brink ‎(“grassland”), dialectal German Brunkel, Icelandic brekka ‎(“slope”)), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰren- ‎(“project”) (compare Tocharian B prenke ‎(“island”), Irish braine ‎(“prow”)).

Noun

brink ‎(plural brinks)

1. The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also used figuratively.

Derived terms

• brinkmanship
• on the brink

Translations

edge

• Armenian: եզր (hy) ‎(ezr), ծայր (hy) ‎(cayr)
• Bulgarian: край (bg) m ‎(kraj), ръб (bg) m ‎(rǎb)
• Czech: pokraj m, hrana (cs) f, okraj (cs) m
• Danish: kant, rand (da)
• Dutch: rand (nl), steile rand
• Finnish: reuna (fi), parras (fi)
• French: bord (fr) m, lisière (fr) f
• German: Rand (de) m

• Irish: broinne m
• Italian: orlo (it), bordo (it) m, ciglio m
• Maori: ripa tauārai
• Portuguese: beira (pt) f
• Russian: край (ru) m ‎(kraj), грань (ru) f ‎(granʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: oir f
• Spanish: borde (es) m

External links

• brink in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• brink in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch brinc, from Old Dutch brink, from Proto-Germanic *brinkaz.

Cognate with English brink.

Noun

brink m ‎(plural brinken, diminutive brinkje n)

1. edge or margin of a field
2. edge or margin of a hill
3. grassy edge or margin of a strip of land
4. grassland