Ou seja, o ponto crítico, a gota d'água.

" The tipping point is the critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. "

Imaging a tall block sitting on a table. If you start to push the top of the block to one side, it will tip, but if you let go, the block will return to its standing state. However, if you push the block past a certain point, it will not return to standing, but will fall over. This is the "tipping point" - the point after which irreversible changes occur.

Think about something (or someone) balanced in a state of equilibrium. It might take only a small impetus to destroy that equilibrium. That is the idea conveyed in the expression "tipping point". "The tipping point for Brown came while he was attending a church service in Ohio."

For example, 38 degrees is the angle or "tipping point" at which an avalanche happens.