foothold
9
7.0
- noun
- /ˈfʊthˌhoʊld/
- Jargon
:
cabeza de puente
- We can't let the enemy get a larger foothold on this nation.
- gain a foothold
And Ukraine will serve as the advanced foothold for such an attack.
- And Ukraine will serve as the advanced foothold for such an attack.
Examples
-
We were told that the Filipinos had a foothold in the peninsula, but I guess that was bad intel.
-
The troops established a crucial foothold on the enemy's territory, preparing for further advances.
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And Ukraine will serve as the advanced foothold for such an attack.
-
I hope they don't get a foothold this time around.
Blog text (13) -
The Gulf crisis has allowed the imperialist powers to gain a foothold in it.
Academic text (1991) -
Islamic militants gained their first foothold by taking over Egyptian student politics in the 1970s.
Academic text (1993) -
The Syrians had gained a foothold in Palestine, and thus also a bargaining chip, however modest, for the negotiations that would follow.
Academic text (2016) -
The Soviets gained a foothold in the region using Egypt as a proxy to weaken U.S. allies in the late 1950s.
Academic text (2010) -
With this new foothold, the rebels believe they can push back against the regime's forces.
-
The alliance secured a strategic foothold in the region, which will help them launch more operations.
Synonyms
6
9.3
An area on an enemy shore taken and held as a base for further advance inland
1
9.5
An area at a bridge's end soldiers capture and hold in enemy land to let more troops cross
1
9.9
A place captured by soldiers arriving by plane and used as a base for more attacks
Antonyms
How Secure
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word foothold comes from foot and hold, where hold means 'to keep something in place'. Imagine soldiers making a small, firm place to stand inside enemy land; a foothold is that first secure area you keep while you wait for reinforcements or move further.