brink
brink /brɪŋk/ noun
-
the brink (of something) a situation when you are almost in a new situation,
usually a bad one
on the brink of death/disaster/war etc
- In October 1962 the world seemed on the brink of nuclear war.
- The company had huge debts and was on the brink of collapse.
to the brink (of something)
- managers who have taken their companies to the brink of disaster
back from the brink (of something)
- He will go down in history as the leader who pulled us back from the brink
(=saved us from disaster).
-
push/tip somebody over the brink to make someone start doing crazy or extreme things
-
the brink of something literary the edge of a very high place such as a cliff
chu-ko-nu
Repeating crossbow
诸葛
clan
clan /klæn/ noun [countable]
- a large group of families who often share the same name:
- the Campbell clan
- warring clans
- informal a very large family:
- The whole clan will be here over Christmas.
confound
con·found /kənˈfaʊnd/ verb [transitive]
- to confuse and surprise people by being unexpected:
- His amazing recovery confounded the medical specialists.
coup
coup /kuː/ noun [countable]
- a sudden and sometimes violent attempt by citizens or the army to take control of
the government SYN coup d’état:
- Haiti’s first elected President was deposed in a violent military coup.
- a coup attempt by junior officers
- He evaded capture after the failed coup.
- an achievement that is extremely impressive because it was very difficult:
- Beating Arsenal was a major coup for the club.
Reference
- Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English