spearhead

From Middle English spere-hed; equivalent to spear +‎ head.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈspɪə.hɛd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈspɪɹ.hɛd/, /ˈspiɹ.hɛd/

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spearhead (plural spearheads)

1. The pointed head, or end, of a spear.
   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:

     Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

2. One who leads or initiates an activity (such as an attack or a campaign).
   • 1964 September, G. Freeman Allen, “Interim report on the East Coast Route express service”, in Modern Railways, pages 158–159:

     Spearheads of the NER bargain fares attack this year have been the introduction of weekend fares at a 7s 6d in the £ discount on ordinary rates between principal stations throughout the Region—[...].

3. The leading military unit in an attack.
4. (sports) A player who initiates attacking moves.
   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC:

     England played at a tempo in attack that was too much for Bulgaria, with width provided at various times by Walcott, Young and Stewart Downing and Rooney acting as the potent spearhead.

spearhead (third-person singular simple present spearheads, present participle spearheading, simple past and past participle spearheaded)

1. (transitive) To drive or campaign ardently for, as an effort, project, etc.; to direct.

   He spearheaded the entire project from day one.

   • 2012 April 21, Jonathan Jurejko, “Newcastle 3-0 Stoke”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Newcastle have put themselves within touching distance after a fantastic run which has been spearheaded by the goals of Senegal striker Cisse.

   • 2021 January 13, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Spectacular funiculars”, in RAIL, issue 922, page 53:

     George Monks spearheaded the project to solve this problem with a funicular, and work on the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway (L&LCR) began in 1887.

   • 2025 July 16, Luis Prada, “Elon Musk’s Grok AI Now Includes a Pornographic Waifu Chatbot”, in Vice‎^[2]:

     Musk is betting that lonely users will trade their cash (and last shreds of their connection to human life) for a bot that is explicitly designed to flirt with sad men, as the saddest man on Earth spearheaded it.