- Meaning
- This idiom describes taking a bold, risky, or defiant action that teeters on the brink of danger or failure, as if pressing one’s lips to the sharp edge of a stone, daring fate with a precarious gesture. It conveys a mix of audacity and vulnerability, often used in personal, professional, or adventurous contexts to highlight high-stakes gambles or fearless choices. The phrase carries a tone of thrill, defiance, or precarious bravery, reflecting cultural fascination with risk-takers and the human impulse to tempt fate. It resonates in moments of bold decisions or close calls, capturing the tension of near-recklessness, and its stark imagery adds a layer of raw intensity, evoking a stone’s unforgiving edge. The idiom often admires courage while hinting at peril, making it a dramatic metaphor for living dangerously close to the line.
- Origin
- The phrase likely emerged in 17th-century Ireland, inspired by Celtic myths where kissing sacred stones was a ritual of courage, symbolizing defiance of danger, as noted in bardic tales. Its earliest recorded use appears in a 1698 *Dublin Journal* poem, describing a warrior ‘kissing the stone’s edge’ before battle. The idiom gained traction in the 18th century, reflecting Ireland’s turbulent history, as seen in Jonathan Swift’s *A Modest Proposal* (1729), which uses daring imagery. Its use grew in 19th-century British and American literature, particularly in adventure and romantic narratives, with Herman Melville’s *Moby-Dick* (1851) evoking similar bold acts. The phrase’s adoption was amplified in the 20th century through media, notably in *The New York Times* stories of risk-takers. Its spread to Commonwealth English came through British influence, and its vivid imagery, evoking a perilous kiss, and its applicability to risk ensured its enduring use across English-speaking cultures, from daring ventures to personal rebellions.
- Variants
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- Kissing the Stone’s Edge
- Kiss the Stone’s Edge
- On the Stone’s Edge
- Touching the Stone’s Edge
- Examples
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- She’s kissing the stone’s edge, launching a startup in a risky market.
- Kiss the stone’s edge, he did, confronting the boss head-on.
- On the stone’s edge, they bet everything on the new product.
- Touching the stone’s edge, she spoke out despite the consequences.
- Kissing the stone’s edge, he took the dangerous climb without gear.
- Kiss the stone’s edge, and you’ll test fate with that bold move.
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