I would like to say that someone is standing at the end of a bridge, waiting to meet someone else.
Is there a word for the end of the bridge, besides just 'end'?
I'm thinking something like a river's mouth.
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityI would like to say that someone is standing at the end of a bridge, waiting to meet someone else.
Is there a word for the end of the bridge, besides just 'end'?
I'm thinking something like a river's mouth.
It is called a head.
Either end of a bridge. [OED]
It is usually used as head of the bridge.
Another similar term is a bridgehead, which is mainly used as a military term, defined in OED as a fortification covering or protecting the end of a bridge nearest the enemy. [Translation of French tĂȘte de pont : tĂȘte, head + de, of + pont, bridge.]
AHD also gives another definition of bridgehead:
The area immediately adjacent to the end of a bridge.
transpontine = far side of the bridge
transpontine adjective:
situated on the farther side of a bridge
Abutment comes to mind. From Wikipedia:
In engineering, abutment refers to the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam whereon the structure's superstructure rests or contacts. Single-span bridges have abutments at each end which provide vertical and lateral support for the bridge, as well as acting as retaining walls to resist lateral movement of the earthen fill of the bridge approach.
[anatomy of a bridge]
and according to some diagrams, the roadways leading up to the portal are known as the approaches. If I find something more satisfactory than this, I'll post it as an answer. – Dan Bron Jun 8 '15 at 21:28