The economy is poised on the edge of collapse.poisedpoised /pɔɪzd/ ●○○ adjective 
She waited by the door like a small animal poised for flight.poised on His finger was poised on the camera’s shutter release.poised to do something He stood on the edge of the roof, poised to jump.2[not before noun] completely ready to do something or for something to happen, when it is likely to happen soonpoised to do something Spain was poised to become the dominant power in Europe.poised on the brink/edge of something The economy is poised on the edge of collapse.3poised between something and something to be in a position or situation in which two things have an equally strong influence: The world stood poised between peace and war.4behaving in a calm confident way, and able to control your feelings and reactions: Abigail walked to the microphone, poised and confident.
WORD ORIGINpoised
Origin:
1-3 1600-1700 poise ‘to weigh, balance’ (14-21 centuries), from Old French peser, from Latin pensare4 1900-2000 ➔ POISEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Heather looked poised and relaxed as she made her way to the stage.
- But what was totally unfamiliar was the athleticism and poised stage presence she had achieved in such a short time.
- He followed her and Urquhart to where a coolly poised young woman stood by herself, holding but not drinking her madeira.
- He was like a large, beautiful cat, poised and motionless, but prepared to leap.
- Its poised, out-thrust head gave it the appearance of a cobra, a white cobra.
- Jason Hemmings is poised to take over from Howell in goal next season.
- Miss Hazelwood stepped up from behind her desk, slender and poised and gripping the tawse.
- Now his fortunes are poised to turn full circle again.
- She was poised, cheerful even.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The economy is poised on the edge of collapse.
The economy is poised on the edge of collapse.PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1[not before noun] not moving, but ready to move or do something at any momentpoised for- Ahead of it the Wyrmberg turned from a distant toy to several billion tons of rock poised between heaven and earth.
- Like families gathered at Christmas, social animals are poised between cooperation and conflict.
She waited by the door like a small animal poised for flight.poised on His finger was poised on the camera’s shutter release.poised to do something He stood on the edge of the roof, poised to jump.2[not before noun] completely ready to do something or for something to happen, when it is likely to happen soonpoised to do something Spain was poised to become the dominant power in Europe.poised on the brink/edge of something The economy is poised on the edge of collapse.3poised between something and something to be in a position or situation in which two things have an equally strong influence: The world stood poised between peace and war.4behaving in a calm confident way, and able to control your feelings and reactions: Abigail walked to the microphone, poised and confident.- Clark, Helen
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