Bridgeheads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Fortified ground held at the far end of a bridge by advancing troops ; a secure base established in hostile territory or a new market from which to expand
2. Defended positions seized at the approach to a river crossing ; footholds gained in unfamiliar ground or a rival's market to support further advance
3. Strongpoints taken and held at the end of a crossing by an army ; beachheads or secure bases won in new territory or commerce for later expansion

Etymology: "Bridgeheads" is the plural of "bridgehead," a military term for a fortified position established at the far end of a bridge, or more broadly a secured foothold on enemy-held ground that an attacking force can build on. The plural simply refers to more than one such position. The word is a calque of French "tête de pont," which means "head of the bridge." English took the idea from French and rebuilt it from native parts: "bridge" and "head," with "head" used in its older sense of a front or leading end, as in "the head of a column." The French phrase follows the same pattern, so the English term is a direct translation of the French image rather than an independent coinage.

Synonyms: beachhead, foothold, outpost