bridge1

noun

• 1a structure carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road, railroad, or other obstacle:a bridge across the river a railroad bridge
• something that is intended to reconcile or form a connection between two things:a committee that was formed to create a bridge between rival parties
• a partial denture supported by natural teeth on either side. See also bridgework.
• the support formed by the hand for the forward part of a billiard cue.
• a long stick with a frame at the end that is used to support a cue for a shot that is otherwise hard to reach.
• Music an upright piece of wood on a string instrument over which the strings are stretched.
• Music a bridge passage or middle eight.
• short for land bridge.

• 2the elevated, enclosed platform on a ship from which the captain and officers direct operations.

• 3the upper bony part of a person’s nose:he pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose
• the central part of a pair of glasses, fitting over this:these sunglasses have a special nose bridge for comfort

• 4an electric circuit with two branches across which a detector or load is connected. These circuits are used to measure resistance or other property by equalizing the potential across the two ends of a detector, or to rectify an alternating voltage or current.

verb

• be a bridge over (something):a covered walkway that bridged the gardens
• build a bridge over (something):earlier attempts to bridge the channel had failed
• make (a difference between two groups) smaller or less significant:bridging the gap between avant garde art and popular culture