From Middle English climben, clymben, from Old English climban (“to climb”), from Proto-West Germanic *klimban, from Proto-Germanic *klimbaną (“to climb, go up by clinging”), believed to be a nasalised variant of Proto-Germanic *klibaną, *klibāną (“to stick, cleave”), from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (“to stick”). Cognate with West Frisian klimme (“to climb”), Dutch klimmen (“to climb”), German klimmen (“to climb”), Old Norse klembra (“to squeeze”), Icelandic klifra (“to climb”). Related to clamber. See also clay, glue.
Meanings
An act of climbing.
Make sure that you keep checking to see that everything remains safe throughout the climb. 2007, Nigel Shepherd, Complete Guide to Rope Techniques:
The act of getting to somewhere more elevated.
The Mur de Péguère is a savage little climb, its last four kilometres a narrow tunnel of trees and excited spectators urging on the straining riders. 2012 July 15, Richard Williams, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track, Guardian Unlimited:
I guess the room wasn't so bad, except for the climb to get there. The stairs were destined to be a serious health hazard. 1999, B. Keith Jones, The Roomie Do Me Blues:
An effort of moving upward.
This memorial dedicated to those / Who persished on the climb 2018, Maddy Makes Games, Celeste, →OCLC, level/area: Forsaken City:
After a decade of prosperity, millions of Asians are likely to be pushed into poverty, and the climb out of poverty will stall for millions of others. 1998 September 30, AP, “Worst May Lie Ahead For Asia, Report Warns”, in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
An extended climb in Treasury yields risks exacerbating the pressures that have dogged a broad array of assets in recent months. 2023 October 20, David Randall, Davide Barbuscia, “Relentless climb in Treasury yields may have further to run after surging to 5%”, in Reuters:
fi kiipeäminen (an act of climbing) · fr montée (an act of climbing) · ca ascensió (an act of climbing) · tl pag-akyat (an act of climbing) · fi kapuaminen (an act of climbing) · it scalata (an act of climbing) · ru подъём (an act of climbing) · fi kiipeily (an act of climbing) · tr tırmanış (an act of climbing) · pt subida (an act of climbing) · pl wchodzenie (an act of climbing) · eo grimpado (an act of climbing) · it ascesa (an act of climbing) · mk искачување (an act of climbing) · es subida (an act of climbing) · pt escalada (an act of climbing) · ca pujada (an act of climbing) · it arrampicata (an act of climbing) · ru восхожде́ние (an act of climbing) · pl wspinaczka (an act of climbing) · es ascenso (an act of climbing) · pl wejście (an act of climbing) · ar شَعْبَطَة (an act of climbing) · pt ascensão (an act of climbing)
From Middle English climben, clymben, from Old English climban (“to climb”), from Proto-West Germanic *klimban, from Proto-Germanic *klimbaną (“to climb, go up by clinging”), believed to be a nasalised variant of Proto-Germanic *klibaną, *klibāną (“to stick, cleave”), from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (“to stick”). Cognate with West Frisian klimme (“to climb”), Dutch klimmen (“to climb”), German klimmen (“to climb”), Old Norse klembra (“to squeeze”), Icelandic klifra (“to climb”). Related to clamber. See also clay, glue.
Meanings
(intransitive) To traverse a slope or contour, either upwards (ascending) or downwards (descending).
People ask me, What is the use of climbing Mount Everest? and my answer must at once be, "It is of no use." There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever...What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to live. That is what life means and what life is for. 1923, George Mallory, original quotation from Mallory's written manuscript notes for his 1923 United States fundraising lecture tour, found within "Climbing Everest: The Complete Writings of George Mallory"
after I had found (the goats') haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them: I observed if they saw me in the valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would run away, as in a terrible fright; but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no notice of me; from whence I concluded that, by the position of their optics, their sight was so directed downward that they did not readily see objects that were above them; so afterwards I took this method - I always climbed the rocks first, to get above them, and then had frequently a fair mark. 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe Chapter 4
When I call up Dennis Tully to memory, it is always in the shop or in the fine, crowded house that I see him, and never standing apart, with clear space shaping itself behind him. And yet I must often have seen him so, climbing down the church steps after Mass, or walking across the square, hat firmly anchored. Always, I see him moving among things, a thick atmosphere of objects. 1988, Thomas Flanagan, The Tenants of Time Chapter 4
(intransitive) (literally or figuratively): To ascend; rise; to go up.
After Bridge of Orchy, the line climbs steeply into the wild country of Rannoch Moor. The railway builders chose a different route across the moor from the road - we are completely on our own up here. 2023 November 29, Paul Clifton, “West is best in the Highlands”, in RAIL, number 997, page 39:
Black vapours climb aloft, and cloud the day. 1697, Virgil, “The Seventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
So we continue climbing to the saddle of the Kleine Scheidegg, where ahead there comes into view the wide expanse of the Grindelwald valley, backed by the snowy crown of the Wetterhorn. 1960 December, Voyageur, “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 752:
Looking up suddenly, I found mine eyes / Confronted with the minster's vast repose. / Silent and gray as forest-leaguered cliff / Left inland by the ocean's slow retreat, / […] / Remembering shocks of surf that clomb and fell, / Spume-sliding down the baffled decuman, […] 1869 December (indicated as 1870 January), James Russell Lowell, “The Cathedral”, in James Thomas Fields, editor, The Atlantic Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics, volume XXV, number CXLVII, Boston, Mass.: Fields, Osgood, & Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 5:
(intransitive) (literally or figuratively): To ascend; rise; to go up. ▸ To ascend in a non-physical or figurative sense.
The hit song has climbed to the number one spot.
(figuratively, intransitive) (literally or figuratively): To ascend; rise; to go up. ▸ To move to a higher position on a chart or hierarchy.
People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life Introduction
Prices climbed steeply.
(transitive) To mount; to move upwards on.
They climbed the mountain.
climbing a tree
Other Hooverian devices become familiar too. Characters often have names that are so obscure they barely seem like real names (Ryle, Lowen, Chastin, Atlas, Crew) but might wind up climbing the baby name list — now you know why — in a few years’ time. 2023 July 6, Pamela Paul, “What’s the Story With Colleen Hoover?”, in The New York Times:
(transitive) To scale; to get to the top of something.
He is a curly-haired schoolboy barely in his teens, but 13-year-old Jordan Romero from California has become the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. 2010 May 22, David Harrison, “American boy, 13, is youngest person to climb Everest”, in Daily Telegraph online:
(intransitive) To enter, mount or otherwise assume a position in or on a conveyance.
We'll climb back on our bikes and continue the route.
He climbed into the passenger-seat of the car.
(transitive) To move (especially up and down something) by gripping with the hands and using the feet.
Greasing involves climbing under the vehicle into an inspection pit.
My legs were so stiff and my arms so sore that this morning I could barely climb out of bed.
Cutter and Bolan climbed around the furniture and piled into the back of the truck. 2008, Tony Atkins, Dragonhawk - the Turning:
A priest clad in a white robe climbs the tree and with a golden sickle cuts the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloth. 1900, James Frazer, The Golden Bough Chapter 65:
She thought she must have been mistaken at first, for none of the scarecrows in Kansas ever wink; but presently the figure nodded its head to her in a friendly way. Then she climbed down from the fence and walked up to it, while Toto ran around the pole and barked. 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
(intransitive) To practise the sport of climbing.
(intransitive) To jump high.
As the game moved towards injury time, the Ospreys forced a line-out which Jonathan Thomas climbed high to take. 2008 September 13, “Ospreys Glasgow Magners League”, in South Wales Evening Post:
The defender climbed majestically at the near post to convert Johnson's corner. 2010 December 28, Paul Fletcher, “Man City 4 - 0 Aston Villa”, in BBC:
Four minutes of stoppage time were virtually up when Ricketts climbed to head in the equaliser from substitute Nicky Southall's centre. 2001 December 29, Derick Allsop, “Bolton's nine men hit back to steal a point”, in Daily Telegraph online:
(intransitive, transitive) (botany) Of plants, to grow upwards by clinging to something.
dsb łazyś (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi yletä (to ascend, to go up) · ota آشمق (to ascend, to go up) · ba менеү (to mount, to move upwards on) · es resquilar (to mount, to move upwards on) · es esquilar (to mount, to move upwards on) · gd streap (to ascend, to go up) · th ปีน (to mount, to move upwards on) · gl rubir (to move by using the hands and feet) · ota صارمق (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · io klimar (to mount, to move upwards on) · sh penjati (to mount, to move upwards on) · bg катеря се (to mount, to move upwards on) · ro urca (to ascend, to go up) · et ronima (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi nousta (to ascend, to go up) · la ascendō (to ascend, to go up) · cs růst (to ascend, to go up) · sh porasti (to ascend, to go up) · lo ຂິ້ນບູ່ (to mount, to move upwards on) · nb klatre (to move by using the hands and feet) · th ไต่ (to practice the sport of climbing) · ru пола́зить (to move by using the hands and feet) · tl akyat (to ascend, to go up) · sv klättra (to move by using the hands and feet) · eo grimpi (to mount, to move upwards on) · pt subir (to mount, to move upwards on) · fr grimper (to move by using the hands and feet) · syl ꠛꠣꠅꠀ (to ascend, to go up) · fi kavuta (to move by using the hands and feet) · aii ܐܵܣܹܩ (to ascend, to go up) · srn kren (to ascend, to go up) · sq ngjit (to mount, to move upwards on) · pl wspinać (to practice the sport of climbing) · ga gabh suas (to ascend, to go up) · pl wdrapywać (to move by using the hands and feet) · ar تَسَلَّقَ (to ascend, to go up) · ga dreap (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · msk saka (to ascend, to go up) · it arrampicare (to ascend, to go up) · unm làkusi (to ascend, to go up) · ms memanjat (to ascend, to go up) · uk ла́зити (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi harrastaa kiipeilyä (to practice the sport of climbing) · pt escalar (to practice the sport of climbing) · pl wspinać (to scale) · fi kiivetä (to scale) · de aufsteigen (to scale) · ga dreap (to practice the sport of climbing) · sh uspinjati (to scale) · pl włazić (to mount, to move upwards on) · uk пола́зити (to mount, to move upwards on) · el σκαρφαλώνω (to mount, to move upwards on) · nl klimmen (to ascend, to go up) · sh rasti (to ascend, to go up) · vi leo (to ascend, to go up) · eo supreniri (to ascend, to go up) · th เลื้อย (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · el ανεβαίνω (to mount, to move upwards on) · hu felmegy (to ascend, to go up) · ga dreap (to scale) · uk лі́зти (to mount, to move upwards on) · mk се ја́зи (to mount, to move upwards on) · nb klatre (to mount, to move upwards on) · ru пола́зить (to mount, to move upwards on) · fr grimper (to ascend, to go up) · mn авирах (to mount, to move upwards on) · yi שטײַגן (to ascend, to go up) · fa بالا رفتن (to ascend, to go up) · war sag-ka (to ascend, to go up) · bg изкачвам се (to ascend, to go up) · ru вскара́бкаться (to move by using the hands and feet) · qu siqay (to ascend, to go up) · hy բարձրանալ (to ascend, to go up) · sq kacavjerr (to move by using the hands and feet) · sv klättra (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · is klifra (to ascend, to go up) · gl aganchar (to move by using the hands and feet) · id memanjat (to ascend, to go up) · mn өгсөх (to mount, to move upwards on) · br pignat (to ascend, to go up) · la scandō (to scale) · hi चढ़ना (to ascend, to go up) · vi trèo (to mount, to move upwards on) · nb klatre (to practice the sport of climbing) · sq ngjit (to ascend, to go up) · hsb lězć (to mount, to move upwards on) · tr tırmanmak (to ascend, to go up) · th ปีน (to move by using the hands and feet) · hsb łazyć (to mount, to move upwards on) · hy ելնել (to mount, to move upwards on) · ru зале́зть (to mount, to move upwards on) · kaw nek (to ascend, to go up) · fi kivuta (to ascend, to go up) · ru взобра́ться (to move by using the hands and feet) · uk полі́зти (to mount, to move upwards on) · shi ɣmmc (to move by using the hands and feet) · got 𐍃𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (to mount, to move upwards on) · ga ardaigh (to ascend, to go up) · pt trepar (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · fi kivuta (to scale) · cmn 攀登 (to move by using the hands and feet) · es trepar (to practice the sport of climbing) · mr चढणे (to ascend, to go up) · sco clim (to ascend, to go up) · mn гарах (to mount, to move upwards on) · cmn 爬 (to mount, to move upwards on) · ko 오르다 (to ascend, to go up) · th ไต่ (to mount, to move upwards on) · sv klättra (to ascend, to go up) · nrf grîmper (to move by using the hands and feet) · pt trepar (to move by using the hands and feet) · dsb lězć (to mount, to move upwards on) · ru взобра́ться (to mount, to move upwards on) · ban munggah (to ascend, to go up) · la scandō (to ascend, to go up) · pl piąć (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · it salire (to ascend, to go up) · cs lozit (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi kiipeillä (to practice the sport of climbing) · be пала́зіць (to mount, to move upwards on) · nb klatre (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · sco clim (to mount, to move upwards on) · cmn 登 (to mount, to move upwards on) · ja 登る (to mount, to move upwards on) · mn асах (to mount, to move upwards on) · he טיפס (to mount, to move upwards on) · th ไต่ (to scale) · alt кӧдӱрӱлер (to ascend, to go up) · be ла́зіць (to mount, to move upwards on) · vi trèo (to ascend, to go up) · ang climban (to mount, to move upwards on) · gu ચઢવું (to mount, to move upwards on) · es trepar (to move by using the hands and feet) · sh uspeti (to scale) · id mendaki (to ascend, to go up) · ne चढ्नु (to mount, to move upwards on) · la scandō (to mount, to move upwards on) · he האמיר (to ascend, to go up) · mk иска́чува (to ascend, to go up) · ba менеү (to move by using the hands and feet) · uk здира́тися (to move by using the hands and feet) · sh popeti (to mount, to move upwards on) · uk піднятися (to mount, to move upwards on) · el σκαρφαλώνω (to move by using the hands and feet) · ru подня́ться (to ascend, to go up) · be ле́зці (to mount, to move upwards on) · got 𐍃𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (to ascend, to go up) · ang stīgan (to ascend, to go up) · mk иска́чува (to scale) · de steigen (to mount, to move upwards on) · akl saka' (to ascend, to go up) · aii ܟ̰ܵܪܹܚ (to mount, to move upwards on) · nl beklimmen (to mount, to move upwards on) · th ปีน (to ascend, to go up) · mag 𑂒𑂯𑂚𑂪 (to mount, to move upwards on) · es escalar (to practice the sport of climbing) · ta ஏறு (to ascend, to go up) · vi leo (to mount, to move upwards on) · de steigen (to ascend, to go up) · it scalare (to ascend, to go up) · gl agatuñar (to move by using the hands and feet) · hu felmászik (to ascend, to go up) · de klettern (to ascend, to go up) · it risalire (to mount, to move upwards on) · ga téigh suas (to ascend, to go up) · mk иска́чува (to practice the sport of climbing) · ru ле́зть (to move by using the hands and feet) · fi kivuta (to mount, to move upwards on) · pl wspiąć (to practice the sport of climbing) · es subir (to ascend, to go up) · cs lézt (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi kavuta (to scale) · vi lên (to ascend, to go up) · ru ла́зить (to move by using the hands and feet) · fi kohota (to ascend, to go up) · fi nousta (to mount, to move upwards on) · bcl tukad (to mount, to move upwards on) · pl wzrosnąć (to ascend, to go up) · th ไต่ (to move by using the hands and feet) · it scalare (to practice the sport of climbing) · et tõusma (to ascend, to go up) · tet sa'e (to ascend, to go up) · lo ຂິ້ນ (to mount, to move upwards on) · fi kiivetä (to move by using the hands and feet) · ja 登る (to ascend, to go up) · es escalar (to ascend, to go up) · ca escalar (to ascend, to go up) · oc escalar (to ascend, to go up) · mr चढणे (to scale) · as বগা (to ascend, to go up) · de klettern (to mount, to move upwards on) · sq nit (gheg) (to mount, to move upwards on) · mrw panik (to ascend, to go up) · uk лі́зти (to move by using the hands and feet) · ro sui (to mount, to move upwards on) · nn klatre (to mount, to move upwards on) · bni bata (to ascend, to go up) · kum гётерилмек (to ascend, to go up) · pt subir (to ascend, to go up) · is klífa (to mount, to move upwards on) · mk по́лзи (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · el ανεβαίνω (to scale) · id memanjat (to mount, to move upwards on) · ko 기어 올라가다 (to move by using the hands and feet) · hy բարձրանալ (to mount, to move upwards on) · th ปีน (to practice the sport of climbing) · fi kivuta (to move by using the hands and feet) · gd streap (to mount, to move upwards on) · ru взбира́ться (to move by using the hands and feet) · jv pènèk (to ascend, to go up) · ca escalar (to mount, to move upwards on) · sa रोहति (to ascend, to go up) · ga dreap (to mount, to move upwards on) · fr monter (to ascend, to go up) · ar تَسَلَّقَ (to mount, to move upwards on) · sh peti (to mount, to move upwards on) · gd dìrich (to mount, to move upwards on) · hy մագլցել (to mount, to move upwards on) · pl wspiąć (to scale) · ca muntar (to ascend, to go up) · cy dringo (to mount, to move upwards on) · bg качвам се (to ascend, to go up) · ur چڑھنا (to ascend, to go up) · la ascendō (to mount, to move upwards on) · it arrampicarsi (to move by using the hands and feet) · gl gabear (to move by using the hands and feet) · uk підніма́тися (to ascend, to go up) · nn klatre (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · cmn 登 (to ascend, to go up) · es trepar (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · csm čy·m- (to scale) · fr escalader (to mount, to move upwards on) · nn klatre (to practice the sport of climbing) · sq m'u nit (gheg) (to ascend, to go up) · sv klättra (to practice the sport of climbing) · dsb lězć (to ascend, to go up) · hi चढ़ना (to mount, to move upwards on) · or ଉଠିବା (to ascend, to go up) · es subir (to scale) · it arrampicarsi (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · egy i-A-HqA-q:D54 (to mount, to move upwards on) · es subir (to mount, to move upwards on) · es trepar (to scale) · pl wleźć (to mount, to move upwards on) · csm čy·m- (to ascend, to go up) · ln mata (to ascend, to go up) · mbb pamenahik (to ascend, to go up) · pt escalar (to scale) · nn klatre (to ascend, to go up) · ms mendaki (to ascend, to go up) · bcl sakat (to ascend, to go up) · fi kavuta (to mount, to move upwards on) · shi ṛbbc (to move by using the hands and feet) · th ขึ้น (to ascend, to go up) · fi kiivetä (to mount, to move upwards on) · sq hip (to ascend, to go up) · sv klänga (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · mk се ја́зи (to move by using the hands and feet) · ko 오르다 (to mount, to move upwards on) · sv bestiga (to mount, to move upwards on) · ba менеү (to scale) · ja 攀じ登る (to move by using the hands and feet) · ms naik (to ascend, to go up) · pt escalar (to mount, to move upwards on) · kg manta (to ascend, to go up) · ks کھَسُن (to ascend, to go up) · ru зале́зть (to move by using the hands and feet) · fr grimper (to mount, to move upwards on) · pt subir (to jump high) · ka აძრომა (to ascend, to go up) · nb klatre (to ascend, to go up) · ru кара́бкаться (to move by using the hands and feet) · ceb saka (to ascend, to go up) · ur چڑھنا (to mount, to move upwards on) · oc montar (to ascend, to go up) · it scalare (to scale) · be пале́зці (to mount, to move upwards on) · mk се иска́чува (to ascend, to go up) · uk зла́зити (to move by using the hands and feet) · pl rosnąć (to ascend, to go up) · war saka (to ascend, to go up) · uk підійма́тися (to mount, to move upwards on) · es esguilar (to mount, to move upwards on) · chr ᎦᎴᎦ (to mount, to move upwards on) · ru взбира́ться (to mount, to move upwards on) · nrf grîmper (to ascend, to go up) · cy dringo (to ascend, to go up) · kaw uṇḍa (to ascend, to go up) · sq hip (to scale) · dsb łazyś (to ascend, to go up) · ky көтөрүлүү (to ascend, to go up) · et ronima (to ascend, to go up) · es escalar (to move by using the hands and feet) · ru поднима́ться (to ascend, to go up) · ru ле́зть (to mount, to move upwards on) · fr escalader (to practice the sport of climbing) · aii ܪܵܝܹܡ (to ascend, to go up) · tr tırmanmak (to mount, to move upwards on) · ang stīgan (to mount, to move upwards on) · aii ܣܲܩܠܸܩ (to mount, to move upwards on) · de klettern (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · de klettern (to practice the sport of climbing) · el ανεβαίνω (to ascend, to go up) · he עלה (to ascend, to go up) · tr çıkmak (to mount, to move upwards on) · gl gabear (of plants: to grow upwards by clinging to something) · rgn muntêr (to ascend, to go up) · de klettern (to move by using the hands and feet) · ga dreap (to move by using the hands and feet) · mn өгсөх (to ascend, to go up) · uk підніма́тися (to mount, to move upwards on) · nn klatre (to move by using the hands and feet) · es trepar (to mount, to move upwards on) · mba paminahik (to ascend, to go up) · ru ла́зить (to mount, to move upwards on) · fr gravir (to mount, to move upwards on) · jv mundhak (to ascend, to go up) · gu ચઢવું (to ascend, to go up) · ban menék (to ascend, to go up) · pl wdrapać (to move by using the hands and feet) · cmn 登攀 (to scale) · so korid (to mount, to move upwards on) · ka აცოცება (to ascend, to go up)