Other forms: toeholds
A toehold is a small foothold, or a first slight advantage. Gain a toehold, a toehold in the market, find a toehold.
In climbing it is barely enough to stand on, and the figurative sense keeps that precariousness — a toehold in a market is a start and nothing more. Note foothold, which is larger and safer; and that the compound is toe plus hold.
1nountoeholdA small foothold, or a first slight advantage.
“The climber found a tiny toehold in the rock and pulled herself up.”
toehold is a small hold.
Toe plus hold. Foothold is formed the same way and names a larger, safer purchase.
From toe + hold.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA