FromMiddle Englishthreschwolde,threscholde, fromOld Englishþresċold, þerxold, þrexwold(“doorsill, entryway”), fromProto-Germanic*þreskudlaz,*þreskūþlijaz,*þreskwaþluz, fromProto-Germanic*þreskaną,*þreskwaną(“to thresh, (originally) to tread”),^[1] fromProto-Indo-European*terh₁-(“to rub, turn”).

Cognate withLow GermanDrüssel(“threshold”), dialectalGermanDrischaufel,Drissufle,Trüschübel(“threshold”),Danishtærskel(“threshold”),Norwegianterskel(“threshold”),Swedishtröskel(“threshold”), dialectalSwedishträskvald(“threshold”),Icelandicþröskuldur(“threshold”).

Pronunciations as “thresh-hold” are un-etymological and result from analogy with-hold.

• (UK)IPA^(key):/ˈθɹɛʃ(h)əʊld/,(goat split)[ˈθɹɛʃ(h)ɒʊɫd]
• (US)IPA^(key):/ˈθɹɛʃ(h)oʊld/

• Audio(US):

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• Rhymes:-əʊld

threshold (pluralthresholds)

1. The lowermost part of adoorway that one crosses to enter; asill.
2. (by extension) Anentrance; thedoor orgate of a house.
   • c.1596–1598 (date written),William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act I, scene iii],page166:

     Shy. You that did voide yourrume vpon my beard, / And foote me as you ſpurne a ſtrangercurre / Ouer yourthreſhold,[…]

3. (by extension) Anyend orboundary.
4. (figurative) Theoutset of something; thepoint ofentry, or thebeginning of anaction.
   • 1927-29,M.K. Gandhi,The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated1940 byMahadev Desai,Part I, Chapter xi:

     I arrived at last, did obeisance to my uncle, and told him everything. He thought it over and said: '[…]At thethreshold of death, how dare I give you permission to go to England, to cross the seas? But I will not stand in your way. It is your mother's permission which really matters. If she permit you, then godspeed! Tell her I will not interfere. You will go with my blessings.'

   • 1951 March, John W. Cline, “The Future of Medicine”, inNorthwest Medicine, volume50, number 3, Portland, Ore.: Northwest Medical Publishing Association,page165:

     The first half of this century has been referred to as the golden age of medicine. To me it seems more probable that we are on thethreshold of a much greater age.

5. (aviation) The start of the landing area of arunway.
6. (engineering) The quantitative point at which an action is triggered, especially alowerlimit.
7. Thewage orsalary at whichincome tax becomes due.
8. The point where one ismentally orphysicallyvulnerable in response to aprovocation or to other nuisances.

• (antonym(s) of“bottom-most part of a doorway”):lintel