a boxlike enclosure having wires, bars, or the like, for confining and displaying birds or animals.
anything that confines or imprisons; prison.
something resembling a cage in structure, as for a cashier or bank teller.
the car or enclosed platform of an elevator.
Mining. an enclosed platform for raising and lowering people and cars in a mine shaft.
any skeleton framework.
Baseball. a movable backstop for use mainly in batting practice.
a frame with a net attached to it, forming the goal in ice hockey and field hockey.
Basketball: Older Use. the basket.
a loose, sheer or lacy overdress worn with a slip or a close-fitting dress.
Ordnance. a steel framework for supporting guns.
Machinery. retainer.
to put or confine in or as if in a cage.
Sports. to shoot (as a puck) into a cage so as to score a goal.
an enclosure, usually made with bars or wire, for keeping birds, monkeys, mice, etc
( as modifier )
cagebird
a thing or place that confines or imprisons
something resembling a cage in function or structure
the rib cage
the enclosed platform of a lift, esp as used in a mine
engineering a skeleton ring device that ensures that the correct amount of space is maintained between the individual rollers or balls in a rolling bearing
informal the basket used in basketball
informal the goal in ice hockey
a steel framework on which guns are supported
informal to upset or anger someone
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin cavea “birdcage,” equivalent to cav(us) “hollow” + -ea, feminine of -eus adjective suffix
A cage is a structure that keeps an animal captive. If you decide to raise a tiger in your bedroom, it's best to have a sturdy cage. Cage is equally at home as a noun or verb. For instance, a batting cage is fun, but a free bird does not desire you to cage it. A cage of an elevator is great to ride to the 30th floor, but not so great if you’re riding it down into the mines and it breaks 40 feet below the earth.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One was Moazzem Begg, among the first prisoners released in 2005 and repatriated to England, where he is now a senior director at CAGE, an advocacy group focused on the remaining Gitmo detainees.
From Salon • Aug. 13, 2023
Walker Lindh confirmed his plans to head to Ireland after his release in remarks he made to CAGE, a London-based organization focused on supporting people impacted by the War on Terror.
From Fox News • Mar. 19, 2019
Emwazi contacted the group, known as CAGE, when he was detained in Tanzania with two friends in summer 2009 and sent back to Britain, interrupting what he said was a vacation after completing his studies.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2015
CAGE, a British non-governmental organization that helps victims of the so-called “war on terror,” released the emails on its website to shed light on Emwazi’s journey into radicalization.
From MSNBC • Mar. 3, 2015
Some rustic hand had written upon the door "JACK SHEPPARD'S CAGE;" and upon the wall was affixed a large placard describing his person, and offering a reward for his capture.
From Jack Sheppard A Romance by Ainsworth, William Harrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
