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on the verge (of)

(also to the verge of)

Definition

C2 If you are on the verge of something or come to the verge of something, you are very near to experiencing it: on the verge of collapse/success/tears/death/disaster/war Her husband's violent and abusive behaviour drove her to the verge of despair.AlmostMerely and barely
(Definition of on the verge (of) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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