He nearly lost everything because of his drug addiction, but his friends helped to pull him back from 'the brink'.
The other team 'brought them to the brink of' defeat. [=came very close to defeating them]
an animal that has been 'brought/pulled back from the brink of' extinction
(..) is the destruction of the produce of human labour. ' 'A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. ' 'In principle, the war effort is planned to keep society on the brink of starvation.' 'The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects. ' Julia. (..)1984 1984