"on the bubble" meaning in English

See on the bubble in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Prepositional phrase

Audio: En-au-on the bubble.ogg [Australia]
Etymology: US, late 20th century, from Indiana motor racing. Head templates: {{head|en|prepositional phrase|head=}} on the bubble, {{en-PP}} on the bubble
  1. (motor racing) Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position. Categories (topical): Motor racing
    Sense id: en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-Ar1Dr~eR Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 60 37 1 1 Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, motor-racing, racing, sports
  2. (sports) Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors; hence, at risk of being eliminated, and reversely, being close to qualification; on the verge. Categories (topical): Sports Related terms: bubble team, bubble under, pole position, qualifiers, qualifying
    Sense id: en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-gsMbkIoB Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
  3. (idiomatic) Uncertain of success. Tags: idiomatic
    Sense id: en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-LfZItgZJ
  4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on, bubble.
    Sense id: en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase--MkEtS1A

Download JSON data for on the bubble meaning in English (4.3kB)

{
  "etymology_text": "US, late 20th century, from Indiana motor racing.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "prepositional phrase",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "on the bubble",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "on the bubble",
      "name": "en-PP"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prep_phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Motor racing",
          "orig": "en:Motor racing",
          "parents": [
            "Automotive",
            "Sports",
            "Transport",
            "Human activity",
            "All topics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Fundamental",
            "Human"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 37 1 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Smith was on the bubble but lost out when Jones was faster by a tenth of a second."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-Ar1Dr~eR",
      "links": [
        [
          "motor racing",
          "motor racing"
        ],
        [
          "qualifying position",
          "qualifying position"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(motor racing) Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "motor-racing",
        "racing",
        "sports"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sports",
          "orig": "en:Sports",
          "parents": [
            "Human activity",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2006, Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie, Harrington on Hold 'Em:",
          "text": "Most players play pretty loose on the bubble, much looser than they theoretically should, and even if I saw an opponent sitting out a few hands, it's more likely that he just hit a run of low cards than that he turned into a locksmith at this stage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, Dick Couch, The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class, page 228",
          "text": "Lewis and Marc Luttrell are on the bubble because they have yet to make the timed run in Third Phase, but they make this one.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "The Knights had been on the bubble for the tournament, but played their way in by winning their last five games."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors; hence, at risk of being eliminated, and reversely, being close to qualification; on the verge."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-gsMbkIoB",
      "links": [
        [
          "sports",
          "sports"
        ],
        [
          "eliminate",
          "eliminate"
        ],
        [
          "reverse",
          "reverse"
        ],
        [
          "on the verge",
          "on the verge"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(sports) Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors; hence, at risk of being eliminated, and reversely, being close to qualification; on the verge."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 76 0 21",
          "word": "bubble team"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 76 0 21",
          "word": "bubble under"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 76 0 21",
          "word": "pole position"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 76 0 21",
          "word": "qualifiers"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 76 0 21",
          "word": "qualifying"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The new bond issue now appears to be on the bubble, with support eroding."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Uncertain of success."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase-LfZItgZJ",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Uncertain of success."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2004, David D. Moon, Carbon Dating, Cold Fusion, and a Curve Ball, page 109",
          "text": "Among other aspects of bubble measurement, the researchers were interested in measuring the size of the bubble with a laser scattering technique. A laser is shone on the bubble, which scatters the light.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on, bubble."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_the_bubble-en-prep_phrase--MkEtS1A",
      "links": [
        [
          "on",
          "on#English"
        ],
        [
          "bubble",
          "bubble#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-on the bubble.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fa/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "on the bubble"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English prepositional phrases",
    "English terms with audio links"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "US, late 20th century, from Indiana motor racing.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "prepositional phrase",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "on the bubble",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "on the bubble",
      "name": "en-PP"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prep_phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "bubble team"
    },
    {
      "word": "bubble under"
    },
    {
      "word": "pole position"
    },
    {
      "word": "qualifiers"
    },
    {
      "word": "qualifying"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Motor racing"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Smith was on the bubble but lost out when Jones was faster by a tenth of a second."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "motor racing",
          "motor racing"
        ],
        [
          "qualifying position",
          "qualifying position"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(motor racing) Holding the last qualifying position with qualification still in progress, and thus liable to lose that position."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "motor-racing",
        "racing",
        "sports"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Sports"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2006, Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie, Harrington on Hold 'Em:",
          "text": "Most players play pretty loose on the bubble, much looser than they theoretically should, and even if I saw an opponent sitting out a few hands, it's more likely that he just hit a run of low cards than that he turned into a locksmith at this stage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, Dick Couch, The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class, page 228",
          "text": "Lewis and Marc Luttrell are on the bubble because they have yet to make the timed run in Third Phase, but they make this one.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "The Knights had been on the bubble for the tournament, but played their way in by winning their last five games."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors; hence, at risk of being eliminated, and reversely, being close to qualification; on the verge."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "sports",
          "sports"
        ],
        [
          "eliminate",
          "eliminate"
        ],
        [
          "reverse",
          "reverse"
        ],
        [
          "on the verge",
          "on the verge"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(sports) Having qualification for an event depend on the upcoming performances of other competitors; hence, at risk of being eliminated, and reversely, being close to qualification; on the verge."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The new bond issue now appears to be on the bubble, with support eroding."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Uncertain of success."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Uncertain of success."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2004, David D. Moon, Carbon Dating, Cold Fusion, and a Curve Ball, page 109",
          "text": "Among other aspects of bubble measurement, the researchers were interested in measuring the size of the bubble with a laser scattering technique. A laser is shone on the bubble, which scatters the light.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on, bubble."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "on",
          "on#English"
        ],
        [
          "bubble",
          "bubble#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-on the bubble.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fa/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/En-au-on_the_bubble.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "on the bubble"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.