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Definition of knife-edge noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

knife-edge

noun
 
/ˈnaɪf edʒ/
 
/ˈnaɪf edʒ/
[usually singular]Idioms
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  1. the sharp edge of a knife
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryKnife-edge is used before these nouns:
    • vote
    See full entry
Idioms
on a knife-edge
  1. (of a situation, etc.) in a difficult or dangerous situation in which a very small change can cause somebody/something to succeed or fail
    • The economy is balanced on a knife-edge.
    Topics Successc2, Difficulty and failurec2
  2. (of a person) very worried or anxious about the result of something
    • He’s living on a knife-edge, waiting for the test results.
trait
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 5000
B2
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