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• Jacob's ladder
  Jacob's ladder

  noun

  (in the Bible) a ladder seen by Jacob in a dream, reaching from the earth to heaven.
• Jacob's-ladder
  Jacob's-ladder

  noun

  any of various plants belonging to the genus Polemonium, of the phlox family, especially P. caeruleum (orP. van-bruntiae ), having blue, cup-shaped flowers and paired leaflets in a ladderlike arrangement.

Jacob's ladder

¹ American  

noun

1. (in the Bible) a ladder seen by Jacob in a dream, reaching from the earth to heaven.

2. Nautical.

   1. Also called jack ladder.  Also called pilot ladder.  a hanging ladder having ropes or chains supporting wooden or metal rungs or steps.

   2. any ladderlike arrangement aloft other than one of rattled shrouds.

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Jacob's-ladder ² American  

[jey-kuhbz-lad-er] / ˈdʒeɪ kəbzˈlæd ər /

noun

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Polemonium, of the phlox family, especially P. caeruleum (orP. van-bruntiae ), having blue, cup-shaped flowers and paired leaflets in a ladderlike arrangement.

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Jacob's ladder British  

noun

1. Old Testament the ladder reaching up to heaven that Jacob saw in a dream (Genesis 28:12–17)

2. Also called: jack ladder.  a ladder made of wooden or metal steps supported by ropes or chains

3. a North American polemoniaceous plant, Polemonium caeruleum , with blue flowers and a ladder-like arrangement of leaves

4. any of several similar or related plants

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Jacob's ladder Cultural  

1. A ladder that Jacob saw in a dream. After he had obtained his brother Esau's birthright and received his father's blessing, he had a vision of the angels of God ascending and descending a ladder that extended from Earth to heaven. God, who stood at the top of the ladder, promised to bless Jacob and his offspring and to bring his descendants into the Promised Land. (See Jacob and Esau.)

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Etymology

Origin of Jacob's ladder¹

First recorded in 1840–45 Jacob's ladder for def. 2

Origin of Jacob's-ladder²

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Jacob's ladder Jacob's-ladder

I must admit, though, this picture by Spencer Dowdall depicting Nessie as the Jacob's ladder version of the surface helps. 

From Scientific American ● Nov. 5, 2017

The jungle gym has a three-dimension-ish thing going on where the jail cell windows have a two-ish-ness and Jacob’s ladder is more one-ish.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 5, 2017

But though lyrics asking to be healed and describing an ascent of Jacob's ladder might seem ludicrous on paper, Ashcroft's self-belief and charisma makes some of them sound compelling.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 16, 2010

First instinct of those who have seen this terrifying natural phenomenon, which links heaven and earth with a dark, serpentine Jacob's ladder, is to get out of its path.

From Time Magazine Archive

The secret of the balcony stairs was too precious—she would keep it even from her father, as the angels guarded Jacob's ladder.

From Norston's Rest by Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)

Bachelor’s-buttons and love-lies-bleeding and Jacob’s-ladder and touch-me-nots and daffy-down-dillies and phlox and sweet-williams and love-in-a-mist and four-o’clocks—not a blessed hot-house name among ’em, Chum!

From The Valiants of Virginia by Rives, Hallie Erminie

"Up Jacob's-ladder," said she, and hers was like the syrup of flowers.

From Famous Modern Ghost Stories by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

Thanks to bad gunnery, both ships on that occasion managed to get out of range without being sunk, though some of the shells burst close aboard, and the Vicksburg’s Jacob’s-ladder was cut adrift.

From The Boys of '98 by Otis, James

Splendor and night and fragrance bestrewed the Jacob's-ladder of the terraces down which he passed.

From Titan: A Romance Vol. II (of 2) by Jean Paul

The land was gone; the sky shut down heavy overhead; there was a piece of wreckage on the back of a swell, and the Jacob's-ladder was carried clean away.

From Famous Modern Ghost Stories by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)