spear-head

Noun

spearhead (plural spearheads)

1. The pointed head, or end, of a spear.
   • 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.1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC
2. Something or somebody leading or initiating an activity (such as an attack or campaign).
   • 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—[...].1964 September, G. Freeman Allen, “Interim report on the East Coast Route express service”, in Modern Railways, pages 158–159

   Synonyms:

   driving force

3. The leading military unit in an attack.
4. A player who initiates attacking moves.
   • 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.2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC, archived from the original on 10 Aug 2020

See all 5 meanings of spearhead