What does knife-edge mean?

Definitions for knife-edge
knife-edge

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word knife-edge.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. knife-edgenoun

    a narrow boundary

    "he lived on a knife-edge between genius and insanity"

  2. knife edge, cutting edgenoun

    the sharp cutting side of the blade of a knife

Wiktionary

  1. knife-edgenoun

    A piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction.

  2. knife-edgenoun

    A finely balanced situation that could go either way.

ChatGPT

  1. knife-edge

    A knife-edge typically refers to something that is sharp, thin, or precise. It can also describe a situation that is highly tense, uncertain, or balanced in such a way that the outcome can go one way or the other, as if balanced on the edge of a knife. Additionally, in engineering, a knife-edge is a narrow-edge tool used for cutting or testing surfaces.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Knife-edgenoun

    a piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of knife-edge in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of knife-edge in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of knife-edge in a Sentence

  1. Elliot Brennan:

    With tension between Australia and China on a knife-edge, the intense internal focus of the United States could not have come at a worse time to reassure the Australian public of its commitment to the alliance.

  2. Kathleen Brooks:

    With the EU referendum on a knife-edge, the market is right to look elsewhere for direction. Some of this came from Yellen, who reinforced (the) message that the Fed will slow the pace of rate hikes if the U.S. economy posts another dismal jobs report for June.

  3. Boris Johnson:

    We could have a Conservative majority government which will get Brexit done and unleash Britain's potential, this election is our chance to end the gridlock but the result is on a knife-edge.

  4. Kathleen Brooks:

    Although the Remain camp has managed to stem the recent wave of support for the Brexiteers, the outcome is still very much uncertain and trading is likely to be sporadic and volumes thin in the next two sessions, with the EU referendum on a knife-edge, the market is right to look elsewhere for direction. Some of this came from Yellen, who reinforced (the) message that the Fed will slow the pace of rate hikes if the U.S. economy posts another dismal jobs report for June.

  5. George Loewenstein:

    I think part of what's going on is there are certain parts of consumers' budgets they don't have much control over, everyone seems to feel like we're on a knife edge.

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"knife-edge." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/knife-edge>.

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