brinke

Middle English

Alternative forms

• brynke, brenk, brink, brynkke, brynk, brenke, bryncke

Etymology

From Old Norse *brenka, *brinka and Middle Low German brink, both from Proto-Germanic *brinkaz (“hill, edge (of land)”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbrink(ə)/, /ˈbrɛnk(ə)/

Noun

brinke (plural brinkes)

1. The coastline or shoreline; the place where land meets sea.
2. The edge of any other body of water (e.g. a river, a pit full of water).
3. The edge, lip, or top of a cup, glass, or bowl.
4. The surrounds, edge, or outer part of something.
5. The edge of life; the state of being on the brink of death.
6. (rare) The edge or border of a hole or trench.

Descendants

• English: brink
• Scots: brink

References

• “brinke, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-30.