ladder

[lad-er]

noun

1. a structure of wood, metal, or rope, commonly consisting of two sidepieces between which a series of bars or rungs are set at suitable distances, forming a means of climbing up or down.

2. something resembling this.

3. a means of rising, as to eminence.

   the ladder of success.

4. a graded series of stages or levels in status; a hierarchical order of position or rank.

   high on the political ladder.

5. 1. ladder company.

   2. ladder truck.

6. Nautical.,  companionway.

7. Chiefly British.,  a run in a stocking.

verb (used with object)

1. to climb or mount by means of a ladder.

   to ladder a wall.

2. to furnish with a ladder.

   to ladder a water tower.

3. Chiefly British.,  to cause a run in (a stocking).

verb (used without object)

1. Chiefly British.,  to get a run, as in a stocking.

2. to gain in popularity or importance.

   He laddered to the top of his profession.

ladder

/ ˈlædə /

noun

1. a portable framework of wood, metal, rope, etc, in the form of two long parallel members connected by several parallel rungs or steps fixed to them at right angles, for climbing up or down

2. any hierarchy conceived of as having a series of ascending stages, levels, etc

   the social ladder

3. 1. anything resembling a ladder

   2. ( as modifier )

      ladder stitch

4. Also called: run. a line of connected stitches that have come undone in knitted material, esp stockings

5. See ladder tournament

verb

1. to cause a line of interconnected stitches in (stockings, etc) to undo, as by snagging, or (of a stocking) to come undone in this way

Other Word Forms

• ladderless adjective
• ladderlike adjective
• laddery adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ladder¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English ladder(e), Old English hlǣd(d)er; cognate with German Leiter, Dutch leer (also ladder, from Frisian); akin to Gothic hleithra “tent, hut”; originally, “something that slopes or leans”; lean ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ladder¹

Old English hlǣdder; related to Old High German leitara

Idioms and Phrases

see bottom of the ladder.

Example Sentences

The Nashville Fire Department used several ladders to reach the 46-year old client who survived the fall after being trapped on a tree for hours with the emergency parachute.

From BBC

Shooters opened fire from pickup truck beds and atop ladders, used drones to spy on targets and maintained caches of automatic weapons in storage units.

From Los Angeles Times

Graduates looking for jobs have been told to find local jobs first to get on the career ladder.

From BBC

"It started really with DIY items, wallpaper strippers, ladders, drills, your usual kind of thing. As I got further into my DIY, I started to borrow the mitre saw to do the skirting boards."

From BBC

The trade body representing estate agents - Propertymark - said that rising living costs are "becoming financially testing for many people, especially those working out their finances to step onto the housing ladder for the first time."

From BBC

Related Words

• extent 
• proportion 
• range 
• rate 
• ratio 
• scope 
• system