toehold

or toe-hold

[ toh-hohld ]

/ ˈtoʊ hoʊld /

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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.

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Origin of toehold

First recorded in 1875–80; toe + hold¹

Words nearby toehold

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use toehold in a sentence

In mid-November, just before the variant had established a toehold in many areas of the country, less than half of eligible seniors—of whom 87% had been fully vaccinated at the time—had received a booster.
These Charts Show That COVID-19 is Still the Pandemic of the Unvaccinated|Emily Barone|January 12, 2022|Time
In terms of really helping some of the big brands just get a toehold into the gaming environment and start to understand that this really is the new landscape for the next couple of decades, I think our team has done a phenomenal job there.
Case Study: How SuperAwesome helped brands and developers engage young audiences safely in 2021|Alexander Lee|December 21, 2021|Digiday
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
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