live on the edge

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