Bridge Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘hot’ and now look at ‘bridge’. Incidentally the original idea of a ‘bridge’ would be seen more as a walkway through modern eyes, for it was simply a beam of log laid across wetland.

Bridge of the nose has only been seen since the early 15th century.

A bridge on a stringed instrument is not described as such until the late 14th century.

Interestingly the bridge on a ship is not found in print until 1843, although prior to that the ‘ship’s bridge’ was a narrow platform from where the captain gave out orders rather than an enclosed area.

Bridge as a card game is certainly seen from 1886, although some sources point to an earlier reference from 1843 – the latter is questioned as it may not have been the same game.

Footbridges have been seen in writing since around the early 16th century.

Drawbridge, as associated with castles, are described as such from around 1300.

Suspension bridge is first seen in 1819, although the same technology existed prior to this and was described as a suspended bridge from 1796.

Bridgehead is used to mean ‘that part of the bridge closest to the enemy’ from 1801; and not until 1930 did the term come to be viewed as ‘that part of the advance closest to the enemy’. Essentially the same thing, albeit the former is more defensive and the latter invasive.

The place name of Woodbridge would seem to be of obvious derivation but, with there no obvious location for a bridge here and its close proximity to the site of Sutton Hoo, it has been suggested this may refer to odde breg or ‘the promontory of the king’. More in my Suffolk Place Names

The place name of Weybridge is as it would appear, ‘the bridge over the River Wey’. More in my Surrey Place Names

The place name of Uxbridge comes from ‘Wixan’s bridge’. More in my Middlesex Place Names

The place name of Tonbridge is from ‘the bridge at the farmstead’.

The place name of Stourbridge is, unsurprisingly, ‘the bridge on the River Stour’.

The place name of Stocksbridge is said to have been a bridge built by John Stocks near his fulling mill in the early 18th century.

The place name of Stalybridge began as steaf leah or ‘the wood where staves are obtained’, the addition clearly coming when the bridge was built here.

The place name of Sowerby Bridge takes its name from the name of the bridge here. More in my West Yorkshire Place Names

The place name of Kingsbridge in Devon is self-explanatory.

The place name of Bruges comes from the Flemish brug meaning ‘bridge’.

The place name of Bristol is recorded as Brycgstow in Middle English, this tells us it was ‘the assembly place at a bridge’. This has acquired the modern spelling through the local pronunciation of adding ‘l’ to words ending in vowels or vowel sounds.

Origins of Place Names: Belgian Cities

Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. This time we continue the tour of Western Europe and a look at the largest Belgian cities.

Antwerp is Belgium's most populous settlement, the origin of the name being the subject of some debate. Currently the most common explanation is the Germanic an der werp or 'by the wharf', this port being on the River Scheldt. However this would mean the place would have been named after the wharf had been put to use and thus there would have been an earlier name for the place and no record has survived. Yet there is an alternative origin of Germanic anda werpum meaning 'at the alluvium' (silt deposited by annual flooding) and, in my experience, this makes a much more likely origin for a place name of this age. What is certain is is nothing to do with the legendary explanation of the mythical giant Antigoon. He demanded a toll from those wishing to cross the river, those refusing to pay had a hand severed and tossed into the river. Eventually he was beaten by the hero Brabo, who cut off Antigoon's hand and tossed that into the river. Hence the name is said to come from Dutch hand werpen and related to Old English hand wearpan not 'weapon' but meaning 'to throw'.

Ghent was once known as Ganda, this likely shows these names came from a Celtic ganda meaning 'confluence' and this is where the Scheldt joins the Lys. The idea this comes from a the deity Guntia has virtually no evidence to support it, although it cannot be written off entirely.

Charleroi was only officially founded in 1666, as fort built by the Spanish governor of the Netherlands and named Charles-Roy to honour the Spanish king Charles II.

Liege is either from a Germanic word liudiz meaning 'people' and seen as '(the place) of the people'. The same word can be seen throughout the Germanic tongues of Europe: Dutch luiden, German Leute, Old English leod, and Icelandic lythur. The Old English version also explains the record from 770 as Leodicum, which virtually rules out the explanation this is the personal name Leudi.

Brussels was originally situated on dry land in the marshes of the River Senne. Then it was known as Bruoc-sella 'the settlement in the marshes'.

Bruges is not difficult to see as coming from the Dutch brug meaning 'bridge', the original bridge being over the Rei and constructed by the Romans. Later the term has been seen as plural for this is indeed a town of many bridges and, as a place, one of my personal favourites.

Mons is not difficult to see as related to the French for 'mountain' and in documents dating from before the seventh century this place is recorded as Montes. To the Romans it was Castrilocus, from the castrum or 'military encampment' they built here.

Molenbeek is from two Dutch words, molen beek speaking of 'the mill brook'. Originally this was the name of the brook, by 985 the name of the village, and today the name of one of the nineteen municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region.

Hasselt is from Hasaluth meaning 'hazel wood', the earliest known record of this form of the name comes from a document dated 1165.

Ostend is from Dutch oost einde or 'the east end'. The modern location of Ostend is not the original but a planned 'New Ostend' behind dykes to protect the area, the unstable coastline of the North Sea a reminder this arm of the ocean is only 10,000 years old, not even yesterday in a geological sense. The original was on the 'east end' of the island of Testerep, now joined to the mainland.

Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.