brink

/ˈbriŋk/

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse brekka slope; akin to Middle Dutch brink grassland

noun

  1. edge; especially : the edge at the top of a steep place

  2. a bank especially of a river

  3. the point of onset : verge

noun

  1. the edge at the top of a steep cliff —usually used figuratively to refer to a point that is very close to the occurrence of something very bad or (less commonly) very good

idiom

  1. close to being in a specified state or condition

The countries are teetering on the brink of war.