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 calledloggerhead turtle a large-headed turtle, Caretta caretta, occurring in most seas: family Chelonidae
2. loggerhead shrike
   loggerhead shrike 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. at loggerheads
   at loggerheads engaged in dispute or confrontation

Derived Forms

• ˈloggerˌheaded, adjective

Other Words From

• logger·headed 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

Although the countries are at systemic loggerheads, both want to manage their differences.

From Time

Should they do so, and if both parties remain at loggerheads, Twitter effectively washes its hands and sends the dispute to the courts.

From The Daily Beast

That signals that Gorsuch and Alito weren’t fully at loggerheads with their fellow conservatives about the outcome in many close cases, though they still disagreed about some component of the majority opinion’s reasoning.

From FiveThirtyEight

One conservation effort enforced by island residents — including hoteliers — is the Lights Out for Sea Turtles initiative, which requires that beach-illuminating lights be turned off in the evenings during loggerhead nesting season.

From Washington Post

The loggerhead lays three sets of eggs, each averaging one hundred and seventy.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not easy, even at a slight distance, to distinguish the loggerhead from the Northern shrike.

From Project Gutenberg

Marry, that you are an ass and a loggerhead, to seek Master Pisaro's house here.

From Project Gutenberg

A pleasant smell arose from it; he waited till it foamed up, and then drew the loggerhead out.

From Project Gutenberg

He soon had his charger in fair control, but the science of riding a big loggerhead turtle isn't picked up in a minute.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• tortoise