bridge

Meanings

Noun

• A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
• An arch or superstructure.
• A connection, real or abstract.
• Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit
• A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; a bridge wall.
• The situation where a lone rider or small group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front.
• A solid crust of undissolved salt in a water softener.
• An elongated chain of teammates, connected to the pack, for improved blocking potential.
• A card game played with four players playing as two teams of two players each.

Verb

• To be or make a bridge over something.
• To span as if with a bridge.
• To transition from one piece or section of music to another without stopping.
• To connect two or more computer buses, networks etc. with a bridge.
• To go to the bridge position.
• To employ the bridge tactic. (See Noun section.)

Origin

• From Middle English brigge, from Old English brycġ ("bridge"), from Proto-Germanic *brugjō, *brugjǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerw-, *bʰrēw-.
• Cognate with Scots brig, brigg, breeg, Saterland Frisian Brääch ("bridge"), West Frisian brêge ("bridge"), Dutch brug ("bridge"), German Brücke ("bridge"), Danish bro ("bridge") and brygge, Icelandic brú ("bridge") and brygga, Gaulish briua ("bridge"), Serbo-Croatian brv ("bridge, crossbar"), Old Church Slavonic бръвъно ("beam") and Russian бревно́ ("log").
• 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 the earlier form (name of an older card game) biritch, probably from Russian бири́ч (per the OED), or else from Turkish bir-üç, "one-three".