Definition of "toehold" [toehold]

• A small indentation or ledge on which the toe of a shoe can find support in climbing. (noun)
• A slight or initial yet significant advantage useful for future progress: Family connections gave her a toehold in politics. (noun)
• Sports A wrestling hold in which one competitor wrenches the other's foot. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Republicans a long-term toehold in a region that has trended away from them for the last decade."
• ""Our toehold, which is robust and impressive, is slipping," Romer said."
• "One area where exclusive distribution deals have already gained more than a toehold is the music industry."