足あし掛がかり

noun

foothold; stepping stone

Both literal (a place to put one's foot when climbing) and figurative (a starting point or means to achieve something). Often used in phrases like 足掛かりを作る (gain a foothold) or 足掛かりとする (use as a stepping stone).

• 崖がけを登のぼるのに足あし掛がかりがなくて困こまった。

  I had trouble climbing the cliff because there were no footholds.