thresh·old

thresh·old
/ˈθrɛʃˌhoʊld/ noun, pl -olds [count]
1 : a piece of wood, metal, or stone that forms the bottom of a door and that you walk over as you enter a room or building

He stepped across the threshold.

When they were married he carried her over the threshold. [=he picked her up and carried her into their home when they entered it together for the first time]

2 : the point or level at which something begins or changes

If your income rises above a certain threshold, your tax rate also rises.

sounds that are above/below the threshold of hearing [=sounds that are too high/low to be heard]

I have a low threshold for boredom. [=I get bored easily]

He has a high pain threshold. [=he does not feel pain as easily as other people]

on/at the threshold
: at the beginning of something or very close to something (such as a new condition, an important discovery, etc.)
— usually + of

young people on the threshold of adulthood

We are (standing) at the threshold of a great adventure.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • thresh|old — «THREHSH ohld, hohld», noun. 1. a piece of wood or stone under a door; doorsill. 2. the entrance to a house or building; doorway. 3. Figurative. a point of entering; beginning point: »to be at the threshold of war. The scientist was on the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sub|thresh|old — «suhb THREHSH ohld, hohld», adjective. below the point where a given stimulus is perceptible or two stimuli can be differentiated: »The Subliminal Projection process is a method of conveying an advertising message to the subthreshold area of the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • thresh — thresh·er; thresh·er·man; thresh; thresh·old; …   English syllables

  • old — cuck·old·ry; old; old·fan·gled; old·ham; old·ham·ite; old·ham s; old·ie; old·ish; old·land; old·ness; old·ster; cuck·old; old·en; thresh·old; Old; …   English syllables

  • thresh — [θreʃ] v [I and T] [: Old English; Origin: threscan] to separate grains of corn, wheat etc from the rest of the plant by beating it with a special tool or machine >thresher n …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Old English phonology — This article is part of a series on: Old English Dialects …   Wikipedia

  • thresh — verb Etymology: Middle English thresshen, from Old English threscan; akin to Old High German dreskan to thresh Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to separate seed from (a harvested plant) mechanically; also to separate (seed) in this… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Thresh — Thrash Thrash, Thresh Thresh, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Thrashed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Thrashing}.] [OE. [thorn]reschen, [thorn]reshen, to beat, AS. [thorn]erscan, [thorn]rescan; akin to D. dorschen, OD. derschen, G. dreschen, OHG. dreskan, Icel.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thresh — /θrɛʃ / (say thresh) verb (t) 1. to separate the grain or seeds from (a cereal plant, etc.) by some mechanical means, as by beating with a flail or by the action of a threshing machine. 2. to beat as if with a flail. –verb (i) 3. to thresh wheat …  

  • threshold — thresh·old …   English syllables

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