Bridge Definition

brĭj

bridged, bridges, bridging

noun

bridges

A structure built over a river, railroad, highway, etc. to provide a way across for vehicles or pedestrians.

Webster's New World

A thing that provides connection, contact, or transition.

A common language is a bridge between cultures.

Webster's New World

Something resembling or analogous to this structure in form or function.

A land bridge between the continents; a bridge of understanding between two countries.

American Heritage

The upper, bony part of the nose.

Webster's New World

The curved bow of a pair of eyeglasses fitting over the nose.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
nosepiece
bridge deck
bridge circuit
tie
bond
connection
honeymoon bridge
rubber-bridge
duplicate-bridge
auction bridge
contract-bridge
bridge-whist
whist
bifrost
overcrossing

verb

bridged, bridges, bridging

To build a bridge on or over.

Webster's New World

To cross by or as if by a bridge.

American Heritage

To provide a bridge, connection, transition, etc. across or between.

Webster's New World

(music) To transition from one piece or section of music to another without stopping.

We need to bridge that jam into "The Eleven".

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

adjective

Designating or of products priced between the least expensive and the premium.

A bridge line.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
tutti

idiom

burn one's bridges (behind one)

to commit oneself to a course from which there is no retreat

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Bridge

Noun

Singular:

bridge

Plural:

Bridges

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Bridge

burn one's bridges (behind one)

Origin of Bridge

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”). Cognate with Scots brig, brigg, breeg (“bridge”), Saterland Frisian Brääch (“bridge”), West Frisian brêge (“bridge”), Dutch brug (“bridge”), German Brücke (“bridge”), Danish bro (“bridge”) and brygge (“wharf”), Icelandic brú (“bridge”) and brygga (“pier”), Gaulish bríva (“bridge”), Old Church Slavonic бръвъно (brŭvŭno, “beam”) and Russian бревно (brevnó, “log”).

From Wiktionary
The verb is from Middle English briggen, from Old English brycġian (“to bridge, make a causeway, pave”), derived from the noun. Cognate with Dutch bruggen (“to bridge”), Middle Low German bruggen (“to bridge”), Old High German bruccōn (“to bridge”) (whence Modern German brücken).

From Wiktionary
Name of an older card game biritch, probably Russian бирич (biríč) - OED, or probably from Turkish bir-üç, "one-three".

From Wiktionary
From earlier biritch (influenced by bridge) from Russian birich a call from Old Russian birichĭ

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English brigge from Old English brycg bhrū- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition