BRIDGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bridge mean? 

• BRIDGE (noun)
  The noun BRIDGE has 9 senses:

1. a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

2. a circuit consisting of two branches (4 arms arranged in a diamond configuration) across which a meter is connected

3. something resembling a bridge in form or function

4. the hard ridge that forms the upper part of the nose

5. any of various card games based on whist for four players

6. a wooden support that holds the strings up

7. a denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth

8. the link between two lenses; rests on the nose

9. an upper deck where a ship is steered and the captain stands

  Familiarity information: BRIDGE used as a noun is familiar.

• BRIDGE (verb)
  The verb BRIDGE has 3 senses:

1. connect or reduce the distance between

2. make a bridge across

3. cross over on a bridge

  Familiarity information: BRIDGE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BRIDGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; span

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

Meronyms (parts of "bridge"):

trestle (a supporting tower used to support a bridge)

arch ((architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it)

pier (a support for two adjacent bridge spans)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bridge"):

steel arch bridge (a steel bridge constructed in the form of an arch)

viaduct (bridge consisting of a series of arches supported by piers used to carry a road (or railroad) over a valley)

truss bridge (a bridge supported by trusses)

trestle bridge (a bridge supported by trestlework)

toll bridge (a bridge where toll is charged for crossing)

suspension bridge (a bridge that has a roadway supported by cables that are anchored at both ends)

rope bridge (a bridge consisting of ropes)

bateau bridge; floating bridge; pontoon bridge (a temporary bridge built over a series of pontoons)

flyover; overpass (bridge formed by the upper level of a crossing of two highways at different levels)

footbridge; overcrossing; pedestrian bridge (a bridge designed for pedestrians)

drawbridge; lift bridge (a bridge that can be raised to block passage or to allow boats or ships to pass beneath it)

covered bridge (a bridge whose passageway is protected by a roof and enclosing sides)

cattle grid; cattle guard (a bridge over a ditch consisting of parallel metal bars that allow pedestrians and vehicles to pass, but not cattle)

cantilever bridge (bridge constructed of two cantilevers that meet in the middle)

Bailey bridge (a temporary bridge designed for rapid construction)

Holonyms ("bridge" is a part of...):

transit; transportation; transportation system (a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods)

Derivation:

bridge (make a bridge across)

bridge (cross over on a bridge)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A circuit consisting of two branches (4 arms arranged in a diamond configuration) across which a meter is connected

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; bridge circuit

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

circuit; electric circuit; electrical circuit (an electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bridge"):

Wheatstone bridge (a bridge used to measure resistances)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Something resembling a bridge in form or function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Context example:

his letters provided a bridge across the centuries

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

connectedness; connection; connexion (a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it))

Derivation:

bridge (connect or reduce the distance between)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The hard ridge that forms the upper part of the nose

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Context example:

her glasses left marks on the bridge of her nose

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

anatomical structure; bodily structure; body structure; complex body part; structure (a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing and its construction and arrangement)

Meronyms (parts of "bridge"):

nasal; nasal bone; os nasale (an elongated rectangular bone that forms the bridge of the nose)

Holonyms ("bridge" is a part of...):

nose; olfactory organ (the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Any of various card games based on whist for four players

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

card game; cards (a game played with playing cards)

Meronyms (parts of "bridge"):

ruff; trumping ((card games) the act of taking a trick with a trump when unable to follow suit)

bid; bidding ((bridge) the number of tricks a bridge player is willing to contract to make)

contract; declaration ((contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make)

slam; sweep (winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge)

Domain member category:

declare (designate (a trump suit or no-trump) with the final bid of a hand)

preempt (make a preemptive bid in the game of bridge)

overbid (to bid for more tricks than one can expect to win,)

outbid (bid over an opponent's bid when one's partner has not bid or doubled)

raise (bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level)

doubleton ((bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player)

overbid; overcall ((bridge) a bid that is higher than your opponent's bid (especially when your partner has not bid at all and your bid exceeds the value of your hand))

takeout ((bridge) a bid that asks your partner to bid another suit)

bid; bidding ((bridge) the number of tricks a bridge player is willing to contract to make)

stopper ((bridge) a playing card with a value sufficiently high to insure taking a trick in a particular suit)

minor suit (( bridge) a suit of inferior scoring value, either diamonds or clubs)

major suit ((bridge) a suit of superior scoring value, either spades or hearts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bridge"):

auction; auction bridge (a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge)

contract; contract bridge (a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid)

bridge whist (the earliest form of bridge; the dealer could name the trump suit)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A wooden support that holds the strings up

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

support (any device that bears the weight of another thing)

Holonyms ("bridge" is a part of...):

stringed instrument (a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; bridgework

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

dental plate; denture; plate (a dental appliance that artificially replaces missing teeth)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The link between two lenses; rests on the nose

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; nosepiece

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

link; linkup; tie; tie-in (a fastener that serves to join or connect)

Holonyms ("bridge" is a part of...):

eyeglasses; glasses; specs; spectacles ((plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision)

Sense 9

Meaning:

An upper deck where a ship is steered and the captain stands

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; bridge deck

Hypernyms ("bridge" is a kind of...):

upper deck (a higher deck)

Meronyms (parts of "bridge"):

pilothouse; wheelhouse (an enclosed compartment from which a vessel can be navigated)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bridge"):

conning tower (a raised bridge on a submarine; often used for entering and exiting)

fly bridge; flybridge; flying bridge; monkey bridge (the highest navigational bridge on a ship; a small (often open) deck above the pilot house)

• BRIDGE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Connect or reduce the distance between

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

bridge; bridge over

Hypernyms (to "bridge" is one way to...):

connect; link; link up; tie (connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Also:

bridge over (suffice for a period between two points)

Derivation:

bridge (something resembling a bridge in form or function)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make a bridge across

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

bridge a river

Hypernyms (to "bridge" is one way to...):

join (cause to become joined or linked)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

bridge (a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.)

bridgeable (capable of being connected by a bridge or as if by a bridge)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cross over on a bridge

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "bridge" is one way to...):

cover; cross; cut across; cut through; get across; get over; pass over; track; traverse (travel across or pass over)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

bridge (a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.)

bridgeable (capable of being connected by a bridge or as if by a bridge)

 Context examples 

A craniopharyngioma consisting of broad strands, cords and bridges of a multistratified squamous epithelium with peripheral palisading of nuclei.

(Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma, NCI Thesaurus/Adapted from WHO)

A mature lymphocyte whose T cell receptor, a gamma polypeptide chain linked by a disulfide bridge to a delta polypeptide chain, has recognized specific foreign antigens and self MHC antigens.

(Activated Mature Gamma/Delta T-Lymphocyte with a Cytotoxic Phenotype, NCI Thesaurus)

The tooth, teeth, or implant that supports a fixed bridge or removable prosthesis.

(Abutment, NCI Thesaurus)

The loss of astrocytes, a supporting cell in the brain, was most prominent in the corpus callosum, a part of the brain that bridges the two hemispheres.

(Study in mice identifies type of brain cell involved in stuttering, National Institutes of Health)

They usually avoid elevators, bridges, and public places.

(Agoraphobia, NCI Dictionary)

There is a wide range of signs and symptoms including hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, hearing loss, respiratory infections, mental retardation, skeletal abnormalities, leveled nasal bridge and protruding forehead.

(Alpha-Mannosidosis, NCI Thesaurus)

Thus, B-Cell Linker represents a central linker protein that bridges the B-cell receptor-associated kinases with a multitude of signaling pathways and may regulate biologic outcomes of B-cell function and development.

(B-Cell Linker, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon hydrolysis of artesunate's active endoperoxide bridge moiety by liberated heme in parasite-infected red blood cells, reactive oxygen species and carbon-centered radicals form, which have been shown to damage and kill parasitic organisms.

(Artesunate, NCI Thesaurus)

The art or science of building; especially, the art of building houses, churches, bridges, and other structures, for the purposes of civil life

(Architecture, NCI Thesaurus)

LNAs contain a methylene bridge linking 2'-oxygen and 4'-carbon of ribose sugar rings, thereby increasing their thermal stability and decreasing degradation.

(Androgen Receptor Antisense Oligonucleotide EZN-4176, NCI Thesaurus)