Dictionary

ladder en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈlæd.ɚ/ (General-American)
• [ˈlæɾ.ɚ] (General-American)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈlad.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ladder, laddre; from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlóydʰrom, from *ḱley- (“to lean”). Compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, German Leiter; also Old Irish clithar (“hedge”), and Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌 (kleθram, “stretcher”). See lean, which is related to lid. Further cognates include Ashkun istrī, Kamkata-viri c̣ik, Prasuni čik, čix; Waigali c̣iř, Sanskrit श्रिति (śrití).

Meanings

1. A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or rounds acting as steps).
   • And why wouldn't I just turn around, not take a chance on the bad luck of walking under a ladder? Because, beyond it, there was Pluckie. My little dog was leashed to a bush, lunging and barking. If the leash came loose, her lunge could send her tumbling down the mountainside. 2014, Linda O. Johnston, Lost under a Ladder, Woodbury, Minn.: Midnight Ink, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN:
   • The form of a man was seen to enter, and both the females rushed up the ladder, as if equally afraid of the consequences. The stranger secured the door, and first examining the lower room with great care, he cautiously ascended the ladder. 1851, J[ames] Fenimore Cooper, “Chapter XXIII”, in The Pathfinder; or, The Inland Sea … Complete in One Volume. Revised and Corrected, with a New Introduction, Notes, &c., by the Author (The Leather-stocking Tales; III), rev. edition, New York, N.Y.: George P[almer] Putnam, 155 Broadway, →OCLC, page 411:
   • Ladders are heavy and unwieldy. Handle them properly to avoid damaging property and to make sure you don't injure yourself. Carry a ladder upright, not slung across your shoulder. Hold the ladder vertically, bend your knees slightly, then rock the ladder back against your shoulder. Grip one rung lower down while you support the ladder at head height with your other hand, and then straighten your knees. 2009, Albert Jackson, David Day, Popular Mechanics Complete Home How-To, rev. edition, New York, N.Y.: Hearst Books, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., →ISBN, page 31:
2. (figuratively) A series of stages by which one progresses to a better position.
   • Newcastle had won both their previous fixtures in 2011 but were terribly disappointing at Broadhall Way against opponents 73 places below them in the footballing ladder. 2011 January 8, Paul Fletcher, “Stevenage 3 – 1 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2016:
3. (figuratively) The hierarchy or ranking system within an organization, such as the corporate ladder.
   • Many publicly held companies do have good working conditions, but they often employ mostly high-wage workers or offer different levels of working conditions and benefits to management employees than to workers at the bottom of the ladder. 2010, Jody Heymann, Magda Barrera, Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder: Creating Value by Investing in Your Workforce, Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Press, →ISBN, page 6:
4. (UK) A length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment, especially in nylon stockings; a run.
   • You've got a huge ladder in your stockings. I've got a spare pair in my bag, come to the Ladies and you can change. 2008, Åsa Larsson, translated by Marlaine Delargy, The Black Path, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Dell, →ISBN:
   • Proposed Standard of Needlework to be required from Pupil-teachers at the Yearly Visits of Her Majesty's Inspectors. […] Darning Stockings.—To show a hole darned, and a thin place "run" (or strengthened), and a ladder properly taken up in a coarse worsted stocking. 1875, Report of the Committee of Council on Education (England and Wales); with Appendix. 1874–75. Report, and Parts I. to IV. of Appendix. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. (Reports from Commissioners, Inspectors, and Others: Twenty-seven Volumes; XXIV), volume X (Education), London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, →OCLC, page 54:
5. (qualifier:go) A sequence of moves following a zigzag pattern and ultimately leading to the capture of the attacked stones.
   • The most dramatic introduction to the idea of how stones relate to each other over distance is how players react when a ladder (shicho, "she-ko"^([sic]) in Japanese) [シチョウ (shichō)] develops. […] Ouch! This is finding out about the ladder, which is called that because of the steplike shape that the defending stones are forced into. 2003, Peter Shotwell, Go! More Than a Game, Boston, Mass.: Tuttle Publishing, →ISBN:
6. (Australia, New-Zealand) A league table.

Forms

Deriveds

DNA ladder · pull up the ladder · climb the ladder · ladder match · ladder handle · accommodation ladder · ladder logic · resistor ladder · ladder theory · ladderman · stepladder · Jacob's ladder · companion ladder · laddertron · fish ladder · pull the ladder up behind oneself · Appalachian Jacob's ladder · ladderback · ladderlike · salmon ladder · ladder lottery · rope ladder · Swedish ladder · ladderwise · ladder stitch · laddery · on the ladder · crossed ladders problem · Cantril ladder · upladder · laddering · ladder of opportunity · ladder wall · attic ladder · pencil ladder · monkey ladder · word ladder · ladder wagon · hook ladder · peg ladder · ladder-back · Ladder of Jacob · fail up the ladder · property ladder · scaling ladder · downladder · ladderize · chain-ladder method · climb up the ladder · ladder lacing · aerial ladder · ladder beam · laddering · ladderane · step-ladder · chutes and ladders · ladder mate · laddered · snakes and ladders · ladder snake · ladderway · ladder-laced · coin ladder · ladder back · witch's ladder · ladder operator · ladder polyether · interladder · turntable ladder · corporate ladder · angel's ladder · ladderless · tower ladder · ladder school · chicken ladder · pull the ladder up after oneself · laddergram · fare ladder · loft ladder · social ladder · witch ladder · step ladder

Descendants

lada · lada

Synonyms

run · stepladder

Translations (221)

ca escala (climbing tool) · ug شوتا (climbing tool) · cho aboiya (climbing tool) · bg бримка (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · lv kāpnes (climbing tool) · it scala (climbing tool) · shi taskala (climbing tool) · aii ܣܸܡܲܠܬܵܐ (climbing tool) · jv andha (climbing tool) · twf į̂ęthuną (climbing tool) · ckb پەیژە (climbing tool) · tl akyatan (climbing tool) · szl drabina (climbing tool) · chr ᎠᏴᏠ (climbing tool) · mzn کاتی (climbing tool) · lb Leeder (climbing tool) · nan-hbl 樓梯 /楼梯 (climbing tool) · fr échelle (climbing tool) · be ле́свіца (climbing tool) · frr lääder (climbing tool) · ko 사다리 (climbing tool) · da stige (climbing tool) · nl ladder (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · lt kopėčios (climbing tool) · sl lestev (climbing tool) · sh pobegla očica (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · mww ntaiv (climbing tool) · et redel (climbing tool) · sco ledder (climbing tool) · sk rebríček (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · ar سُلَّم (climbing tool) · te నిచ్చెన (climbing tool) · eu eskailera (climbing tool) · sk hierarchia (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · he רַכֶּבֶת (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · tr merdiven (climbing tool) · gan 樓梯 /楼梯 (climbing tool) · ml ഏണി (climbing tool) · ta ஏணி (climbing tool) · hnn agdan (climbing tool) · bg стъ́лба (climbing tool) · sk očko (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · th กระได (climbing tool) · rm stgeala (climbing tool) · ja 梯子 (climbing tool) · kk басқыш (climbing tool) · uz pillapoya (climbing tool) · lo ຂັ້ນໄດ (climbing tool) · bi lada (climbing tool) · kk саты (climbing tool) · ady дэкӏояпӏэ (climbing tool) · fur sčhale (climbing tool) · grc κλῖμαξ (climbing tool) · ru ле́стница (climbing tool) · fa-ira نَرْدِبان (climbing tool) · es carrera (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · sh lojtre (climbing tool) · mk скала (climbing tool) · br skeul (climbing tool) · ce лами (climbing tool) · ast escalera (climbing tool) · ro scară (climbing tool) · sk rebrík (climbing tool) · tg зинапоя (climbing tool) · ps زينه (climbing tool) · ur سِیڑْھی (climbing tool) · sh ље̏стве (climbing tool) · he סֻלָּם (climbing tool) · izh turpaat (climbing tool) · sh ље̏ствица (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · sw ngazi (climbing tool) · be драбі́ны (climbing tool) · hy աստիճան (climbing tool) · hu létra (climbing tool) · mbb heɣezan (climbing tool) · tg нардабон (climbing tool) · ca rega (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · uk стрем'я́нка (climbing tool) · eo dismaŝigo (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · sh ljȅstvica (climbing tool) · cmn 扶梯 (climbing tool) · alt баскыш (climbing tool) · sh pobjegla očica (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · ab амардуан (climbing tool) · ky шаты (climbing tool) · oj akwaandawaagan (climbing tool) · ga dréimire (climbing tool) · rm scala (climbing tool) · mi arawhata (climbing tool) · pa ਪੌੜੀ (climbing tool) · es escalera portátil (climbing tool) · es escala (climbing tool) · sh ле̏ствица (climbing tool) · es escalera vertical (climbing tool) · ajp سلَّم (climbing tool) · ca escalafó (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · ru стре́лка (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · la scāla (climbing tool) · sv stege (climbing tool) · yue 梯 (climbing tool) · uk драби́на (climbing tool) · gd fàradh (climbing tool) · kk баспалдақ (climbing tool) · kn ಏಣಿ (climbing tool) · gl escada (climbing tool) · inh лоами (climbing tool) · nan-hbl 梯 (climbing tool) · atv паскыш (climbing tool) · sh ле̏ствица (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · nb stige (climbing tool) · lv trepes (climbing tool) · es quiro-escalera (climbing tool) · nn leider (climbing tool) · ky баскыч (climbing tool) · hsn 梯子 (climbing tool) · hy փիլաքյան (climbing tool) · uz shoti (climbing tool) · rm stgala (climbing tool) · cmn 梯子 (climbing tool) · gl esqueira (climbing tool) · ary سلوم (climbing tool) · fi silmäpako (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · cs žebřík (climbing tool) · kk тепкішек (climbing tool) · he סולם (climbing tool) · tl hagdan (climbing tool) · nv haazʼéí (climbing tool) · mn шат (climbing tool) · uz zina (climbing tool) · az nərdivan (climbing tool) · ky тепкич (climbing tool) · sh ље̏ствица (climbing tool) · el πόντος (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · de Laufmasche (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · es escalera (climbing tool) · de Leiter (climbing tool) · uz narvon (climbing tool) · my လှေကား (climbing tool) · sh ljȅstvica (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · nl ladder (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · ka კიბე (climbing tool) · pdt Lada (climbing tool) · ru стремя́нка (climbing tool) · hrx Leeter (climbing tool) · es escalera manual (climbing tool) · syl ꠌꠃꠇꠣꠝ (climbing tool) · ca carrera (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · io skalo (climbing tool) · vi thang (climbing tool) · lut səxʷʔigʷəɬ (climbing tool) · nds-de Ledder (climbing tool) · sh lȅstvica (climbing tool) · it smagliatura (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · el σκάλα (climbing tool) · pl drabina (climbing tool) · cjy 梯子 (climbing tool) · yi לייטער (climbing tool) · zu isenyukelo (climbing tool) · sh ле̏стве (climbing tool) · ms tangga (climbing tool) · oc escala (climbing tool) · es escalera de mano (climbing tool) · cdo 樓梯 /楼梯 (climbing tool) · pt escada (climbing tool) · km ជណ្ដើរ (climbing tool) · cdo 梯 (climbing tool) · tg нардбон (climbing tool) · fi tikkaat (climbing tool) · sq shkallë (climbing tool) · ru ле́стница (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · tk merdiwan (climbing tool) · dng тиҗя (climbing tool) · sh lȅstvica (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · af leer (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · af leer (climbing tool) · sh ljȅstve (climbing tool) · nb leider (climbing tool) · hy սանդուղք (climbing tool) · an escalera (climbing tool) · alt тепкиш (climbing tool) · ko 사닥다리 (climbing tool) · nn stige (climbing tool) · af leer (length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment) · is stigi (climbing tool) · es escalafón (the hierarchy or ranking system within an organization) · ota نردبان (climbing tool) · eo eskalo (climbing tool) · msk agdan (climbing tool) · mnp 樓階 /楼阶 (climbing tool) · cjy 樓梯 /楼梯 (climbing tool) · sh lȅstve (climbing tool) · fi tikapuut (climbing tool) · ba баҫҡыс (climbing tool) · rup scarã (climbing tool) · bo སྐས་འཛེག (climbing tool) · prs زِینَه (climbing tool) · mzn سردی (climbing tool) · zza merwan (climbing tool) · cy ysgol (climbing tool) · mba hagudan (climbing tool) · bsk ćhiṣ (climbing tool) · pis lada (climbing tool) · ady лъэой (climbing tool) · fur scjale (climbing tool) · bn মই (climbing tool) · luy ingasi (climbing tool) · wuu 胡梯 (climbing tool) · wa schåle (climbing tool) · vo xänöm (climbing tool) · id jenjang (climbing tool) · mt sellum (climbing tool) · hak 梯 (climbing tool) · tsg hagdan (climbing tool) · as জখলা (climbing tool) · fo stigi (climbing tool) · eo ŝtupetaro (climbing tool) · id tangga (climbing tool) · nl ladder (climbing tool) · mr शिडी (climbing tool) · kmr peyje (climbing tool) · hi सीढ़ी (climbing tool)

wikipedia: Federal Emergency Management Agency · wikipedia: Hurricane Katrina · wikipedia: New Orleans

ladder en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈlæd.ɚ/ (General-American)
• [ˈlæɾ.ɚ] (General-American)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈlad.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ladder, laddre; from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlóydʰrom, from *ḱley- (“to lean”). Compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, German Leiter; also Old Irish clithar (“hedge”), and Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌 (kleθram, “stretcher”). See lean, which is related to lid. Further cognates include Ashkun istrī, Kamkata-viri c̣ik, Prasuni čik, čix; Waigali c̣iř, Sanskrit श्रिति (śrití).

Meanings

1. To arrange or form into a shape of a ladder.
   • By means of repeated bifurcations, [Carl] Linnaeus provided a five-tier botanic hierarchy. He laddered the plant kingdom downward from classes to orders, genera, species, and varieties. 1999, Lisbet Koerner, Linnaeus: Nature and Nation, Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 15:
   • I sat down, and he left his perch on the edge of the table and pulled out another chair for himself. We sat facing each other. He laddered his fingers under his chin. 2001, Frankie Y. Bailey, A Dead Man's Honor, Johnson City, Tenn.: Silver Dagger Mysteries, The Overmountain Press, →ISBN, page 70:
   • And employing the innate gift for mimicry he'd always had – a gift which had made his father roar with laughter even when he was tired and feeling down – Jack 'did' Morgan Sloat. Age fell into his face as he laddered his brow the way Uncle Morgan's brow laddered into lines when he was pissed off about something. 1984, Stephen King, Peter Straub, The Talisman, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press/G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN:
2. To ascend (a building, a wall, etc.) using a ladder.
   • He was barefoot, but he was wearing his climbing harness and was attached to Telperion with a rope. He unclipped the rope, detaching himself from the tree. He stepped out onto a branch and free-climbed up to Cordaro's hammock. […] He laddered his way barefoot to the very top of Telperion. He didn't use a rope, and he felt that any hominid with any dexterity could have pulled off the climb. 2007, Richard Preston, “Detonation Zone”, in The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN:
   • The Rochdale climber spoken of once fell 70 feet from a mill at Linfitts, owing to an accident while he was laddering. He was terribly hurt, but recovered, and still carries on his trade with unshaken nerve. 1896, Chambers's Journal, Edinburgh; London: W. & R. Chambers, →OCLC, page 367:
   • A good working knowledge of the ladder parts, how they work, their capacities, and proper usage are a must before anyone is sent out to ladder a building. 1998, John Norman, Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics, 2nd edition, Saddle Brook, N.J.: Fire Engineering, →ISBN, page 164:
3. Of a knitted garment: to develop a ladder as a result of a broken thread.
   • Oh damn it, I've laddered my tights!
   • "Oh, I see," murmured Maddie. She didn't see, though. Not really. Why cry over a ladder in your tights? […] "They must have been defective," she said. / "No, they weren't! It's me who's defective! I'm too fat to wear Mediums any more. That's why they ladder. They ladder the moment I put them on, because my legs are too fat. Everything is too fat!" Joanna shot her mother a baleful glance that brimmed with threat. 1994, Judith Clarke, “Tights”, in Friend of My Heart, St. Lucia, Qld.: University of Queensland Press, →ISBN, pages 35–36:
   • He slid his hand up her skirt and murmured in her ear. / "Robert, I've just got dressed. Stop it." […] / He laddered her stocking and smudged her lipstick, but she had time to repair the damage before they went out. 1993, Sebastian Faulks, Birdsong, London: Hutchinson, ISBN 978-0-09-177373-1; republished as Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War, New York, N.Y.: Vintage Books, June 1997, ISBN 978-0-679-77681-9, page 254
   • She caught her mother's eye and said quickly, 'I wondered why your cardigan was laddering.' She looked around the kitchen. 'It is awfully cramped in here. Perhaps if we moved the table against the wall it would be better.' She found herself almost believing that Val and Mother had torn their clothes on the stove. 2004, Susan Sallis, The Pumpkin Coach, London: Corgi Books, →ISBN, page 106:
4. (UK, slang) To close in on a target with successive salvos, increasing or decreasing the shot range as necessary.
   • Laddering made it possible to get a few hits on a fast-moving, often manoeuvring, target. 2014, Norman Friedman, Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns & Gunnery:
   • For eighteen minutes Revenge pounded the dockyard area at an average range of 15,700 yards, spreading for line and laddering for range to a prearranged plan to cover the whole target area. 2007, Peter Smith, Naval Warfare in the English Channel: 1939-1945, page 134:
5. (UK, of a police officer) To corruptly coerce a convicted offender to admit to offences to be taken into consideration which they do not actually believe they committed, as a way to artificially increase the rate of solved crimes.

Forms

wikipedia: Federal Emergency Management Agency · wikipedia: Hurricane Katrina · wikipedia: New Orleans