bridgehead

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bridge·head

(brĭj′hĕd′)

a. A fortified position from which troops defend the end of a bridge nearest the enemy.

b. A forward position seized by advancing troops in enemy territory as a foothold for further advance.

2. The area immediately adjacent to the end of a bridge.

[Translation of French tête de pont : tête, head + de, of + pont, bridge.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bridgehead

(ˈbrɪdʒˌhɛd)

1. (Military) an area of ground secured or to be taken on the enemy's side of an obstacle, esp a defended river

2. (Fortifications) a fortified or defensive position at the end of a bridge nearest to the enemy

3. an advantageous position gained for future expansion

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bridge•head

(ˈbrɪdʒˌhɛd)

n.

1. a position secured on the enemy side of a river or other obstacle to cover the crossing of friendly troops.

2. any position gained that can be used as a foothold for further advancement.

3. a defensive work protecting the end of a bridge toward the enemy.

[1805–15]

bridgehead

An area of ground held or to be gained on the enemy's side of an obstacle. See also airhead; beachhead.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	bridgehead - an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies; "an attempt to secure a bridgehead behind enemy lines"; "the only foothold left for British troops in Europe was Gibraltar" foothold combat area, combat zone - a military area where combat forces operate airhead - a bridgehead seized by airborne troops beachhead - a bridgehead on the enemy's shoreline seized by an amphibious operation; "the Germans were desperately trying to contain the Anzio beachhead"
	2.	bridgehead - a defensive post at the end of a bridge nearest to the enemy post, station - the position where someone (as a guard or sentry) stands or is assigned to stand; "a soldier manned the entrance post"; "a sentry station"

Translations

tête de pont

testa di ponte

bridgehead

[ˈbrɪdʒhed] N (Mil) → cabeza f de puente

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

bridgehead

[ˈbrɪdʒhɛd] n → tête f de pontbridging loan [ˈbrɪdʒɪŋ] n (British) → prêt-relais m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

bridgehead

[ˈbrɪdʒˌhɛd] n (Mil) → testa di ponte

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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References in classic literature ?

What of the bridge and its celebrated bridgehead and Prince Auersperg?

View in context

He could see no flying figure on the bridge, so it must have already fled; but he was half conscious of some faint significance in the fact that among the trees round the bridgehead opposite the wall he saw a lamp-post; and, beside the lamp-post, the broad blue back of an unconscious policeman.

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ASHTEAD, UK - - BridgeHead Software, a leader in healthcare data management, today announced that it has, once again, been accepted as a supplier on the latest version of the UK government's public sector cloud procurement framework, G-Cloud 11.

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Choppy seas hampered the landings but the troops forged a bridgehead and liaised with the British 50th Division.

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"Special concern is caused by the strengthening of the positions of the ISIL, which is using the country as a bridgehead for further expansion into the region," the Russian defense minister noted.

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ODOT and the city own portions of the land underneath the bridgehead. The land could support 300-450 units of affordable housing, according to the housing strategy document.

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The crossing area commander and the joint staff had visualization of the avenues of approach toward the bridgehead and of the bridgehead itself.

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I don't know whether other units ever had that unpleasant experience, but, at least every morning and once just at dusk, the Germans tried to overrun us in this bridgehead. And we were so lucky, because it was not part of our planning, but we had these Bofors guns on our side of the canal; [but they] were not being employed because we didn't have a bridge.

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He clings to the shore, establishes a bridgehead and advances to enlarge it.

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The company purchased its controlling stake in TPC in 2008 with the aim of creating bridgehead for the development of its operations in Copenhagen, the software company explained, adding that it had up till now succeeded with this objective.

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ADLER Company Chief Executive Lino Baraldi laid emphasis on the strategic location of Tunisia which represents "a bridgehead for the Maghreb," adding that conditions in Tunisia are propitious to partnerships, as several Tunisians speak Italian and have solid knowledge about Arab markets.

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Tay Bridgehead councillor Margaret Taylor said: "These kids have wasted all this time and expense because of their stupidity."