Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A fortified position from which troops defend the end of a bridge nearest the enemy.
  • noun A forward position seized by advancing troops in enemy territory as a foothold for further advance.
  • noun The area immediately adjacent to the end of a bridge.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In fortification, a work covering that end of a bridge which is most exposed to an enemy; a tête-de-pont.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A fortification commanding the extremity of a bridge nearest the enemy, to insure the preservation and usefulness of the bridge, and prevent the enemy from crossing; a tête-de-pont.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An area around the end of a bridge.
  • noun military A fortification around the end of a bridge.
  • noun military An area of ground on the enemy's side of a bridge, especially one that needs to be taken and defended in order to secure an advance.
  • noun chemistry Either of the two atoms in different parts of a molecule that are connected by a bridge.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies
  • noun a defensive post at the end of a bridge nearest to the enemy

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

bridge +‎ -head; A calque translation of the French tête de pont.

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Examples

  • Close by the bridgehead was a curious structure like a huge beehive, about ten feet high and built of stone blocks.

    Flashman And The Mountain Of Light Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1990

  • Finally there was the so-called bridgehead of Zagrody which was constructed for the protection of the street and railroad bridges crossing the river to the east of Radymno.

    New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915 Various

  • By taking over the company, OMV said it was raising its presence in Turkey, which it considers a "bridgehead" to the Middle East and the Caspian region.

    OMV Taking Over Petrol Ofisi of Turkey - NYTimes.com 2010

  • The TUV founder predicted victory would form a "bridgehead" which would win the party seats in next year's assembly elections.

    Elections - fresh news by plazoo.com 2010

  • WALES will benefit from the London Olympics if it uses the Games as a "bridgehead" to bring sport into education, Sebastian Coe insisted today.

    WalesOnline - Home 2009

  • With one million German settlers in Brazil already, he argued the seedcorn was already there for the expansion of the Third Reich and that they could secure a 'bridgehead' against American influence in the region.

    Aftermath News 2008

  • With one million German settlers in Brazil already, he argued the seedcorn was already there for the expansion of the Third Reich and that they could secure a 'bridgehead' against American influence in the region.

    Aftermath News 2008

  • With one million German settlers in Brazil already, he argued the seedcorn was already there for the expansion of the Third Reich and that they could secure a 'bridgehead' against American influence in the region.

    Aftermath News 2008

  • With one million German settlers in Brazil already, he argued the seedcorn was already there for the expansion of the Third Reich and that they could secure a 'bridgehead' against American influence in the region.

    Aftermath News 2008

  • Only a directive from Montgomery stopped the 2nd Armored Division from seizing a Rhine bridgehead south of Düsseldorf.

    Between War and Peace Col. Matthew Moten 2011

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