loggerhead

[law-ger-hed, log-er-]

noun

1. a thick-headed or stupid person; blockhead.

2. loggerhead turtle.

3. loggerhead shrike.

4. a ball or bulb of iron with a long handle, used, after being heated, to melt tar, heat liquids, etc.

5. a rounded post, in the stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon line is passed.

6. a circular inkwell having a broad, flat base.

loggerhead

/ ˈlɒɡəˌhɛd /

noun

1. Also called: loggerhead turtle. a large-headed turtle, Caretta caretta, occurring in most seas: family Chelonidae

2. a North American shrike, Lanius ludovicianus, having a grey head and body, black-and-white wings and tail, and black facial stripe

3. a tool consisting of a large metal sphere attached to a long handle, used for warming liquids, melting tar, etc

4. a strong round upright post in a whaleboat for belaying the line of a harpoon

5. archaic,  a blockhead; dunce

6. engaged in dispute or confrontation

Other Word Forms

• loggerheaded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of loggerhead¹

1580–90; logger block of wood (first attested alone in 18th century) + head

Word History and Origins

Origin of loggerhead¹

C16: probably from dialect logger wooden block + _head

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at loggerheads, engaged in a disagreement or dispute; quarreling.

   They were at loggerheads over the distribution of funds.

Example Sentences

Beijing and Washington have been at loggerheads on a range of issues as well as tariffs, including US demands that China's ByteDance sell TikTok and that China speed up its export of critical minerals.

From BBC

In 2019, he was appointed the governor of West Bengal state where he was often at loggerheads with the state government, run by the Trinamool Congress party.

From BBC

Most recently, because the public thought they had two big parties that were at loggerheads and in deadlock.

From Salon

The two have been at loggerheads for months, with Trump repeatedly insisting that South Africa's Afrikaner community is facing a "genocide" - a claim amplified by his close adviser Elon Musk, the South African-born tech billionaire.

From BBC

When it came to telling Ono’s story, Sheff found himself at loggerheads over the ethics of authoring her biography.

From Salon

Related Words

• tortoise