loggerhead
[ law-ger-hed, log-er- ]
/ ˈlɔ gərˌhɛd, ˈlɒg ər- /
noun
a thick-headed or stupid person; blockhead.
a ball or bulb of iron with a long handle, used, after being heated, to melt tar, heat liquids, etc.
a rounded post, in the stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon line is passed.
a circular inkwell having a broad, flat base.
Idioms for loggerhead
at loggerheads,
engaged in a disagreement or dispute; quarreling: They were at loggerheads over the distribution of funds.
Origin of loggerhead
1580–90;
logger block of wood (first attested alone in 18th century) +
head
OTHER WORDS FROM loggerhead
log·ger·head·ed, adjectiveWords nearby loggerhead
logasthenia,
logbook,
loge,
loggan stone,
logger,
loggerhead,
loggerhead shrike,
loggerhead turtle,
loggerheads,
loggets,
loggia
British Dictionary definitions for at loggerheads
loggerhead
/ (ˈlɒɡəˌhɛd) /
noun
Also called: loggerhead turtle
a large-headed turtle, Caretta caretta, occurring in most seas: family Chelonidae
loggerhead shrike
a North American shrike, Lanius ludovicianus, having a grey head and body, black-and-white wings and tail, and black facial stripe
a tool consisting of a large metal sphere attached to a long handle, used for warming liquids, melting tar, etc
a strong round upright post in a whaleboat for belaying the line of a harpoon
archaic, or dialect
a blockhead; dunce
at loggerheads
engaged in dispute or confrontation
Derived forms of loggerhead
loggerheaded, adjectiveWord Origin for loggerhead
C16: probably from dialect
logger wooden block +
head
Cultural definitions for at loggerheads
at loggerheads
Engaged in a head-on dispute: “Labor and management are at loggerheads in this affair, and it may be some time before they can negotiate a settlement.”
Idioms and Phrases with at loggerheads
at loggerheads
Engaged in a quarrel or dispute, as in The two families were always at loggerheads, making it difficult to celebrate holidays together. This term may have come from some earlier meaning of loggerhead, referring either to a blockhead or stupid person, or to a long-handled iron poker with a bulb-shaped end that was heated in the fire and used to melt pitch. If it was the latter, it may have been alluded to as a weapon. [Late 1600s] For a synonym, see at odds.