on the verge of collapse
collocation in Englishmeaningsofon,vergeandcollapse
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withcollapseorverge.
on
preposition
uk/ɒn/us/ɑːn/
used to show that something is in a position above something else and touching it, or that something is moving into such ...
See more aton
verge
noun[C]
uk/vɜːdʒ/us/vɝːdʒ/
the edge or border ...
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collapse
noun
uk/kəˈlæps/us/kəˈlæps/
the sudden failure of a system, organization, ...
See more atcollapse
(Definition ofon,vergeandcollapsefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofon the verge of collapse
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Another panelist observed that many people see globalization as a form of tyranny, and as such, may be on thevergeofcollapse.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Small businesses and large are completely demoralised, frustrated and on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Wages certainly have gone, and no one in the country can be satisfied now that the industry is on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In 1948, the film production industry in this country was on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not think that people in the industry believe that it is on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The country was on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is not on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That does not sound like a species on thevergeofcollapse.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Why do we want to trade with, and have improved relations with, a regime that may well be on thevergeofcollapse?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This firm is not on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is no exaggeration to say that the seed potato sector is on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There are great industrial laboratories at this moment in decay, some of them almost on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is on thevergeofcollapseand cannot be properly used.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In certain areas, they are on thevergeofcollapseand will be destroyed if we do not take the necessary measures.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
He was talking about houses being on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not accept that it is on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Their businesses are on thevergeofcollapsethrough no fault of their own.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We are in the middle of a major economic recession and the private housing sector is on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Indeed, some of the trusts already established are on thevergeofcollapse.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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Go to the definition ofon
Go to the definition ofverge
Go to the definition ofcollapse
See other collocations withcollapse
See other collocations withverge