toehold

or toe-hold

[ toh-hohld ]

/ ˈtoʊ hoʊld /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for toehold on Thesaurus.com

noun

a small ledge or niche just large enough to support the toes, as in climbing.

any slight or initial support, influence, advantage, progress, or the like: His knowledge of Latin gave him a toehold for learning French.

a batten nailed to a sloping roof as a support for workers.

Wrestling. a hold in which an opponent's foot is twisted.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of toehold

First recorded in 1875–80; toe + hold¹

Words nearby toehold

toe-curling, toed, toe dance, toe-drop, TOEFL, toehold, toe-in, toe loop, toenail, toe-out, toe pick

How to use toehold in a sentence

Once the virus gains a toehold, the body unleashes a wave of immune troops to fight it off.
Will we all need COVID-19 booster shots?|Erin Garcia de Jesús|June 21, 2021|Science News For Students
At minimum, scientists believe that under the right conditions similar life forms could find a toehold on outer solar system moons too.
Extraterrestrial Life Could Be Hiding in Our Galaxy’s Interior Ocean Worlds|Jason Dorrier|March 21, 2021|Singularity Hub
In someone who is vaccinated, mutations that even slightly evade the body’s immune response can get a toehold.
Bringing COVID-19 vaccines to much of world is hard|Jonathan Lambert|March 16, 2021|Science News For Students
Solar found a practical toehold in early space exploration, and from there the dominoes started to fall.
Why the Price of New Solar Electricity Fell an Incredible 89% in the Last Decade|Jason Dorrier|December 13, 2020|Singularity Hub

Titanic moved along, with a stronger toehold on history than ever.
Portrait of the Consummate Con Man|John Lardner|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His victory would give the hard right a significant toehold in Richmond.
The High-Stakes Virginia Election Recount|Michael Tomasky|November 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Find a product that gives it a toehold and build from there.
Can Microsoft Come Back? Dan Lyons’s Month Without Apple and Google|Dan Lyons|April 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Lunatic right-wing “birthers” have gotten a toehold on CNN and Fox News, and even the McCain campaign investigated their claims.
Catering to Obama Haters|Paul Campos|July 25, 2009|DAILY BEAST
I took one look at his smile and understood—Debra had established a toehold in Liberty Square.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom|Cory Doctorow
Tremont hooked a foot under a toehold to maintain his position facing a mirror.
Satellite System|Horace Brown Fyfe
Hooking into the solid green water of that eddy, Andy found himself a toehold, and presently clambered out.
Down the Columbia|Lewis R. Freeman
In China the stock exchanges have a mere toehold on the country; in Japan they have become the spine of national life.
Government in Republican China|Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
He searched the rear hull, looking for some break in the polished metal that might serve as a toehold.
Gold in the Sky|Alan Edward Nourse

British Dictionary definitions for toehold

toehold

/ (ˈtəʊˌhəʊld) /

noun

a small foothold to facilitate climbing

any means of gaining access, support, etcthe socialist party gained a toehold in the local elections

a wrestling hold in which the opponent's toe is held and his leg twisted against the joints

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

toehold

or toe-hold

Origin of toehold

Words nearby toehold

Words related to toehold

How to use toehold in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for toehold