verge

寸前、瀬戸際

何かが起こる、または始まる直前の状態。

やさしい英語で： The point when something is very close to happening or beginning.

• He was on the verge of tears.
• The scientists are on the verge of a major discovery.
• We were on the verge of giving up.

使い方： on the verge of something (The business is on the verge of bankruptcy.); on the verge of doing something (She was on the verge of leaving when the phone rang.)

類義語： brink, threshold

よく使う表現： on the verge, verge of collapse, verge of tears

縁、路肩

ある範囲の端。特に道路脇の草が生えた帯状の部分。

やさしい英語で： The edge of an area, especially a strip of grass beside a road.

• Flowers grew on the verge.
• He parked his car on the grassy verge.
• Workers cut the grass along the road verge.

類義語： edge, margin, roadside

よく使う表現： grass verge, road verge, on the verge

近づく、すれすれになる

ある性質や状態に非常に近くなる。

やさしい英語で： To be very close to a particular quality, state, or condition.

• His reply verged on rude.
• Her attention to detail verges on obsession.
• The task was so difficult that it verged on impossible.

使い方： verge on something (His confidence verges on arrogance.)

類義語： border on, approach

よく使う表現： verge on something, verge on obsession, verge on impossible