Meaning of live on the edge | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To have an adventurous or perilous lifestyle; to behave in a manner which creates risks for oneself.
   idiomatic
2. To be caught in an economic or societal situation which one did not choose, which threatens one's well-being or life, and which causes distress.
   idiomatic

Examples

“Your idea that murder is the objective correlative of spiritual death, a metaphor for our daily lives, is fascinating. Is living on the edge thrilling and an interesting way to live?”

“I wanted a chance to get out, to live life on the edge.[…] All right! All right. I can understand you wanting some excitement. But do you have any idea what you're getting involved in here?”

“"I like living on the edge," said Mr. Wertz, adding that, although winter fishing is far more dangerous, it is also more lucrative.”

“The President of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, seems to relish living on the edge. . . . Having narrowly won a second four-year term last year after surviving an apparent assassination attempt, Chen, 54, will remain in office until 2008.”

“Any yet what we are talking about today is a threat to life, for 36 million very important Americans living on the margin so to speak, living on the edge, certainly, and living in wonderment as to whether or not they are going to be treated fairly in this process.”

“"The bombing was a sudden jolt and we are back to living on the edge again," said Gonsherovsky, 23, in Jerusalem's crowded Mahane Yehuda market.”

“"The last thing Lesotho needed was another poor harvest since so many vulnerable people are already living on the edge, struggling to cope with the combined impact of successive crop failures, extreme poverty and HIV/Aids," said Amir Abdulla, WFP's regional director for Southern Africa.”

CEFR level