Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

a bridge too far

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.67 in modern English

Syllables: a bridge -too -far
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

3

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A step or action that is too ambitious; an act of overreaching.

Example Sentences

"Cloning was an interesting concept. Cloning body parts was again just man's search for immortality riding on the back of naive altruistic medicinal benevolence. But cloning a person was a bridge too far."
"“Maybe we are seeing a similar phenomenon with NFTs — but it could be a bridge too far for people with collections in other media.”"
"Restricting Telegram seems to have been a bridge too far for many Russians."

Etymology

In reference to Operation Market Garden, Allied airborne military operation of 1944. General Roy E. Urquhart, in his 1958 memoir Arnhem, ascribed the phrase to general Frederick “Boy” Browning. It was popularized by being chosen as the title of Cornelius Ryan’s 1974 book on Operation Market Garden and the subsequent 1977 epic war film.

Questions

What does a bridge too far mean?: A step or action that is too ambitious; an act of overreaching.
Where does a bridge too far come from?: In reference to Operation Market Garden, Allied airborne military operation of 1944. General Roy E. Urquhart, in his 1958 memoir Arnhem, ascribed the phrase to general Frederick “Boy” Browning. It was popularized by being chosen as the title of Cornelius Ryan’s 1974 book on Operation Market Garden and the subsequent 1977 epic war film.

How to pronounce a bridge too far

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