bridge
//bɹɪd͡ʒ//
Forms
- Plural
- bridges
- present (v1)
- bridge
- past (v2)
- bridged
- past participle (v3)
- bridged
- present participle
- bridging
- 3rd person singular
- bridges
Definitions
1.A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
- The rope bridge crosses the river.
- It was a beautiful view from the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Rugby players often break the bridge of their noses.
2.An arch or superstructure.
- The first officer is on the bridge.
3.A connection, real or abstract.
- The LAN bridge uses a spanning tree algorithm.
- The lyrics in the song's bridge inverted its meaning.
- ECMO is used as a bridge to surgery to stabilize the patient.
4.Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit
- At one time, there was a bridge here.
1.To transition from one piece or section of music to another without stopping.
- We need to bridge that jam into "The Eleven".
2.To be or make a bridge over something.
- With enough cable, we can bridge this gorge.
- On this occasion, the damage was far more serious. The sea wall was breached completely for a distance of over 50 yd., and the gap had to be bridged by a temporary timber viaduct.
3.To span as if with a bridge.
- The two groups were able to bridge their differences.
- Before another word was spoken Inspector Beedel had appeared, and the grip of bone and muscle on the straining wrists was changed to one of steel. Less than thirty seconds bridged the whole astonishing transformation.
4.To connect two or more computer buses, networks etc. with a bridge.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1847
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Etymology
From Middle English brigge, from Old English brycġ (“bridge”), from Proto-Germanic *brugjō, *brugjǭ (“bridge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerw-, *bʰrēw- (“wooden flooring, decking, bridge”).
Cognates