Common Italian expression
| Pronunciation | |
| Literal translation | On the brink of the abyss |
| English translation | On the brink of disaster |
| Meaning | To be in a very dangerous situation, to be close to ruin |
This idiom is very commonly found with the verbs essere, to be, and camminare, to walk.
Examples
| Federico non si accorse di essere sull’orlo dell’abisso. | Federico did not realize that he is on the brink of disaster. |
| Stiamo camminando sull’orlo dell’abisso. | We are walking on the brink of disaster. |
Where does this idiom come from?
When you are on the brink of an abyss, you are a step away from a dramatic fall (rovinosa caduta). This idiom is not to be taken literally. In this case, falling means failing or taking a huge risk.
Related lessons
- orlo (brink)
- abisso (abyss)
- di (preposition)
- su (preposition)
- prepositions
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