ladder

[ lad-er ]
/ ˈlæd ər /

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Chiefly British. to get a run, as in a stocking.
to gain in popularity or importance: He laddered to the top of his profession.

Origin of ladder

before 1000; Middle English laddre, Old English hlǣder; cognate with German Leiter, Dutch leer (also ladder < Fris); akin to Gothic hleithra tent; orig., something that slopes. See lean1

OTHER WORDS FROM ladder

lad·der·less, adjective lad·der·like, lad·der·y, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ladder

ladder latter

Example sentences from the Web for ladder

British Dictionary definitions for ladder

ladder
/ (ˈlædə) /

noun

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
any hierarchy conceived of as having a series of ascending stages, levels, etc the social ladder
  1. anything resembling a ladder
  2. (as modifier)ladder stitch
Also called: run mainly British a line of connected stitches that have come undone in knitted material, esp stockings

verb

mainly British 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

Word Origin for ladder

Old English hlǣdder; related to Old High German leitara

Idioms and Phrases with ladder

ladder

see bottom of the ladder.