verge

seuil, bord

Moment où quelque chose est tout près de se produire ou de commencer.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : 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.)

Synonymes : brink, threshold

Expressions courantes : on the verge, verge of collapse, verge of tears

bord, accotement

Bord d’un espace, notamment la bande d’herbe qui longe une route.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : edge, margin, roadside

Expressions courantes : grass verge, road verge, on the verge

frôler, confiner à

Être très proche d’une certaine qualité, situation ou condition.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : verge on something (His confidence verges on arrogance.)

Synonymes : border on, approach

Expressions courantes : verge on something, verge on obsession, verge on impossible