toehold
toehold Lexical Profile
toehold Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, initial, and often precarious position from which further progress or expansion can be made.
"Launching an affordable starter product helped the young software company gain a toehold in the competitive tech market."
A very small or precarious support for the foot, especially when climbing a steep surface.
"The climber searched the sheer rock face for a narrow toehold to support her weight."
A wrestling hold in which a wrestler grasps the opponent's foot and twists it to apply pressure to the ankle or knee.
"The defending champion escaped the painful toehold by rolling toward the edge of the mat."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 19th century as a compound of "toe" and "hold," modeled on the earlier word "foothold" to emphasize an even smaller or more precarious point of support.