foothold
n.a strong or safe position that helps you make more progress in a new area. It can be a physical place for your foot when climbing or a starting point in a new market or job.
n.a secure position from which further progress may be made. Often used metaphorically in business or military contexts to describe an initial stable presence in a new territory.
“The company gained a foothold in the European market last year.”
“After months of negotiation, the tech startup finally established a small foothold in the competitive Asian electronics sector.”
“The infantry struggled to maintain their precarious foothold on the ridge as the weather conditions deteriorated and supply lines became increasingly unreliable.”
Commonly used with the verbs 'gain', 'get', 'establish', or 'maintain'.
“Young people out of work or at risk of unemployment in the UK are to join “AI boot camps” where they harness the technology to get a foothold in the workplace.”
“What matters is that the idea gained a cultural foothold.”
From foot + hold.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.