ladder
(redirected from ladders)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
lad·der
(lăd′ər)n.
1.
a. An often portable structure consisting of two long sides crossed by parallel rungs, used to climb up and down.
b. Something that resembles this device, especially a run in a stocking.
2.
a. A means of moving higher or lower, as in a hierarchy: used his accomplishments as a ladder to success.
b. A series of ranked stages or levels: high on the executive ladder.
3. A fish ladder.
4. Sports
a. An athletic workout in which one does progressively longer intervals followed by progressively shorter intervals.
b. One of the intervals in such a workout.
intr.v. lad·dered, lad·der·ing, lad·ders
To run, as a stocking does.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ladder
(ˈlædə)n
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.
a. anything resembling a ladder
b. (as modifier): ladder stitch.
4. (Knitting & Sewing) chiefly Also called: run Brit a line of connected stitches that have come undone in knitted material, esp stockings
5. (General Sporting Terms) See ladder tournament
vb
(Knitting & Sewing) chiefly Brit 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
[Old English hlǣdder; related to Old High German leitara]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
lad•der
(ˈlæd ər)n.
1. a structure of wood, metal, or rope commonly consisting of two sidepieces between which a series of rungs are set at suitable distances to provide a means of climbing up or down.
2. a means of rising, as to eminence: the ladder of success.
3. a graded series of stages or levels in status: high on the political ladder.
4. Chiefly Brit. a run in a stocking.
[before 1000; Middle English laddre, Old English hlǣder, c. Middle Dutch lēdere, Old High German leitara; akin to Gothic hleithra tent, and to lid, lean1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ladder
Past participle: laddered
Gerund: laddering
| Imperative |
|---|
| ladder |
| ladder |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ladder
(in pantyhose) run
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  ladder - steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or downarticulated ladder - a ladder consisting of segments (usually four) that are held together by joints that can lock in place extension ladder - a ladder whose length can be extended jack ladder, pilot ladder, Jacob's ladder - (nautical) a hanging ladder of ropes or chains supporting wooden or metal rungs or steps monkey ladder - a light ladder to the monkey bridge on a ship rope ladder - a ladder with side pieces of rope scaling ladder - a ladder used to scale walls (as in an attack) sea ladder, sea steps - (nautical) ladder to be lowered over a ship's side for coming aboard step ladder, stepladder - a folding portable ladder hinged at the top |
| 2. | ladder - ascending stages by which somebody or something can progress; "he climbed the career ladder" | |
| 3. | ladder - a row of unravelled stitches; "she got a run in her stocking" | |
| Verb | 1. | ladder - come unraveled or undone as if by snagging; "Her nylons were running" come apart, break, split up, fall apart, separate - become separated into pieces or fragments; "The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
ladder
noun
1. steps, set of steps She broke her arm when she fell off a ladder.
2. hierarchy, ranking, pecking order She admired her sister for climbing up the social ladder.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
تَنْسيل طولي في جوارِب النِّساءسُلَّمٌسُلَّميُنسِل الخَيط
žebříkpuštěné okopustit okožebříček
stigeder er løbetløbemaske
escaleraescalera (de mano)
tikkaattikapuut
ljestve
lefutó szemleszalad a szemlétra
gera/fá lykkjufalllykkjufallstigi
はしご
사다리
kopėčioslaipteliainubėgusi akispaleisti akįsuplėšyti
kāpnesnoirtnoiruši valdziņi
pustiť očkorebrík
lestev
stege
บันได
çorabı kaçmakçorap kaçığıel merdivenikaçıkseyyar merdiven
thang
ladder
[ˈlædəʳ]A. N
2. (fig) → escala f, jerarquía f
the social ladder → la escala social
it's a first step up the ladder → es el primer peldaño
it's a first step up the ladder of success → es el primer paso hacia el éxito
to be at the top of the ladder → estar en la cumbre de su profesión
the social ladder → la escala social
it's a first step up the ladder → es el primer peldaño
it's a first step up the ladder of success → es el primer paso hacia el éxito
to be at the top of the ladder → estar en la cumbre de su profesión
3. (Brit) (in stockings) → carrera f
B. VT (Brit) [+ stocking, tights] → hacer una carrera en
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
ladder
[ˈlædər] n
(wooden, metal) → échelle f
vt (British) [+ tights] → filer
vi (British) [tights] → filer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
ladder
n
→ Leiter f
(fig) → (Stufen)leiter f; to be at the top/bottom of the ladder → ganz oben/unten auf der Leiter stehen; evolutionary ladder → Leiter f → der Evolution; social ladder → Leiter f → des gesellschaftlichen Erfolges; to move up the social/career ladder → gesellschaftlich/beruflich aufsteigen; to move up the housing ladder → ein anspruchsvolleres Haus kaufen; it’s a first step up the ladder → das ist ein Anfang; a big step up the ladder → ein großer Schritt nach vorn ? top
(Brit: in stocking) → Laufmasche f
vt (Brit) stocking → zerreißen; I’ve laddered my tights → ich habe mir eine Laufmasche (in meiner Strumpfhose) geholt
vi (Brit: stocking) → Laufmaschen bekommen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
ladder
[ˈlædəʳ]1. n → scala a pioli; (stepladder) → scala a libretto (Brit) (in tights) → smagliatura
social ladder → scala sociale
it's the first step up the ladder → è il primo passo sulla via del successo
social ladder → scala sociale
it's the first step up the ladder → è il primo passo sulla via del successo
2. vt (Brit) (tights) → smagliare
3. vi (Brit) (tights) → smagliarsi
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
ladder
(ˈlӕdə) noun1. a set of rungs or steps between two long supports, for climbing up or down. She was standing on a ladder painting the ceiling; the ladder of success.
2. (American run) a long, narrow flaw caused by the breaking of a stitch in a stocking or other knitted fabric.
verb to (cause to) develop such a flaw. I laddered my best pair of tights today; Fine stockings ladder very easily.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
ladder
→ سُلَّمٌ žebřík stige Leiter σκάλα escalera tikkaat échelle ljestve scala はしご 사다리 ladder stige drabina escada лестница stege บันได taşınır merdiven thang 梯子Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009