cusp — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A sharp point or pointed end.

2. An important moment when a decision is made that will determine future events.

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Newcastle were 11 points adrift of Spurs following their 5-0 mauling at the hands of the north London club in February. But a sixth successive Premier League win puts them on the cusp of European football next season as they surged 15 points clear of seventh-placed Everton, who have five games left to play.

3. A point of a curve where the curve is continuous but has no derivative, but such that it has a derivative at every nearby point.

4. A point made by the intersection of two curved lines or curved structures, a common motif in Gothic architecture.

5. A boundary between zodiacal signs and houses.

6. Any of the pointed parts of a canine tooth or molar.

7. A flap of a valve of a heart or blood vessel.

8. A point of transition.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   I see freight returning in a big way. The 2016 reconnection of the Helwith Bridge quarries can produce up to three heavy trains a day. The nearby and much bigger Horton quarry is also on the cusp of rail reconnection.

Verb

1. To behave in a reckless or dangerous manner.

   Usage

   • Slang

Noun

1. point formed by two intersecting arcs (as from the intrados of a Gothic arch)

   Broader terms

   point

2. a thin triangular flap of a heart valve

   Synonyms

   leaflet

   Broader terms

   flap

3. small elevation on the grinding surface of a tooth

   Broader terms

   pointtippeak