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

Pretoria and Washington have been at loggerheads for months over US allegations that the post-apartheid government persecutes the minority white population, including widely rejected claims of a "white genocide".

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The government had already been at loggerheads with Junts in other parliamentary votes and negotiated its support on a case-by-case basis.

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Hungary's nationalist leader Orban has been at loggerheads with Brussels since his return to power in 2010 over what the EU says is his undermining of democratic institutions and divisive foreign policy stance.

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The mercurial Spaniard had become the first European to win the Masters in 1980, adding to his 1979 Open triumph, but was at loggerheads with the tour over appearance fees.

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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.

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Related Words

• tortoise