| 释义 |
idiomknife-edgebe on a knife-edge1 to be in a difficult or dangerous situation in which something very bad may very easily happen:After the assassination the country was on a knife-edge, until Mandela managed to appeal to the people and unite them.A lot of people feel that they're on a knife-edge, because everything's so expensive and jobs aren't secure any more.knife-edge: The rural communities lead a knife-edge existence under the perpetual threat of drought.2 to be in a situation in which no one knows which of two different things will happen, or which of two different decisions will be made:Three weeks before the election, opinion polls showed that the outcome was on a knife-edge.'Dream On' is a delightful blend of magic fantasy and dream, which treads on the knife edge between humour and tragedyknife-edge: The governor will be facing a knife-edge vote in next week's elections.
knife-edge1. noun A stressful situation or mindset. I am on a knife-edge right now, waiting to hear if my contract has been extended—if not, I'll need to find a new job. Our grandmother is very ill, so we are all on a knife-edge these days. 2. adjective Very crisply and neatly folded. Typically said of the pleats of a garment or textile. When you fold that tablecloth, I need to see knife-edge pleats in it! That dry-cleaner does a great job getting a knife-edge crease in my pants. 3. adjective Sharp, narrow, and hard to traverse. Typically said of topographic features, like mountains. That knife-edge mountain pass has 1,000-foot drops on either side. |