on the point of

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Preposition

on the point of

1. (idiomatic) Very near to; ready to; just about to; such that something is imminent.

   Synonyms: at the point of, upon the point of

   Whether health care should remain free at the point of need is not a new controversy.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

     As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.

   The old building seemed to be on the point of collapse.

Translations

very near to

• Arabic: عَلَى وَشٰك (ʕalā wašāk)

  Egyptian Arabic: سنة و (sena we)

• Finnish: -pisteessä, fifth infinitive of the verb
• Maori: whano, hono
• Russian: на гра́ни (na gráni)
• Scottish Gaelic: an impis

See also

• on the verge
• on the brink