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Share This cra·dle Audio Help / ˈkreɪd / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ kreyd -l] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -dled, -dling. –noun 1. a small bed for an infant, usually on rockers.
2. any of various supports for objects set horizontally, as the support for the handset of a telephone.
3. the place where anything is nurtured during its early existence: Boston was the cradle of the American Revolution.
4. Agriculture . a. a frame of wood with a row of long curved teeth projecting above and parallel to a scythe, for laying grain in bunches as it is cut.
b. a scythe together with the cradle in which it is set.
5. a wire or wicker basket used to hold a wine bottle in a more or less horizontal position while the wine is being served.
6. Artillery .
7. a landing platform for ferryboats, rolling on inclined tracks to facilitate loading and unloading at different water levels.
8. Aeronautics .
10. Nautical . a. a shaped support for a boat, cast, etc.; chock.
11. Shipbuilding . a. a moving framework on which a hull slides down the ways when launched.
b. a built-up form on which plates of irregular form are shaped.
12. Medicine/Medical .
13. Mining .
14. an engraver's tool for laying mezzotint grounds.
15. Painting .
–verb (used with object) 16. to hold gently or protectively.
17. to place or rock in or as in an infant's cradle.
18. to nurture during infancy.
19. to receive or hold as a cradle.
20. to cut (grain) with a cradle.
21. to place (a vessel) on a cradle.
22. Mining .
23. Painting .
–verb (used without object) 24. to lie in or as if in a cradle.
25. to cut grain with a cradle scythe.
—Idiom 26. rob the cradle, Informal .
[Origin:
bef. 1000; ME
cradel, OE
cradol; akin to OHG
cratto basket
]
—Related forms cradler, noun
—Synonyms 3 .
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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Audio Help (krād'l) Pronunciation Key
A small low bed for an infant, often furnished with rockers.
The earliest period of life: had an interest in music almost from the cradle.
A place of origin; a birthplace: the cradle of civilization.
A framework of wood or metal used to support something, such as a ship undergoing construction or repair.
A framework used to protect an injured limb.
A frame projecting above a scythe, used to catch grain as it is cut so that it can be laid flat.
A scythe equipped with such a frame.
A framework of wood or metal used to support something, such as a ship undergoing construction or repair.
A framework used to protect an injured limb.
A frame projecting above a scythe, used to catch grain as it is cut so that it can be laid flat.
A scythe equipped with such a frame.
A low flat framework that rolls on casters, used by a mechanic working beneath an automobile. Also called creeper .
The part of a telephone that contains the connecting switch upon which the receiver and mouthpiece unit is supported.
A frame projecting above a scythe, used to catch grain as it is cut so that it can be laid flat.
A scythe equipped with such a frame.
A boxlike device furnished with rockers, used for washing gold-bearing dirt.
cra·dled , cra·dling , cra·dles
tr.
To place or retain in or as if in a cradle.
To care for or nurture in infancy.
To hold or support protectively: cradled the cat in his arms.
To reap (grain) with a cradle.
To place or support (a ship, for example) in a cradle.
To wash (gold-bearing dirt) in a cradle.
intr. Obsolete
cradel , from Old English.]
cra'dler n.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Online Etymology Dictionary -
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O.E. cradol "little bed," from P.Gmc. *kradulas "basket." Cat's cradle is from 1768. Cradle-snatching "amorous pursuit of younger person" is 1925, U.S. slang.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet -
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Share This cradle noun 1. a baby bed with sides and rockers 2. where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization" [syn: birthplace ] 3. birth of a person; "he was taught from the cradle never to cry" 4. a trough that can be rocked back and forth; used by gold miners to shake auriferous earth in water in order to separate the gold [syn: rocker ] verb 1. hold gently and carefully; "He cradles the child in his arms" 2. bring up from infancy 3. hold or place in or as if in a cradle; "He cradled the infant in his arms" 4. cut grain with a cradle scythe 5. wash in a cradle; "cradle gold" 6. run with the stick
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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Share This cradle 1 [ˈkreidl] noun
a child's bed
especially one in which it can be rocked
Arabic: سَرير طِفْل Chinese (Simplified): 摇篮 Chinese (Traditional): 搖籃 Czech: kolébka Danish: vugge Dutch: wieg Estonian: häll Finnish: kehto French: berceau German: die Wiege Greek: κούνια μωρού Hungarian: bölcső Icelandic: vagga Indonesian: buaian Italian: culla
Japanese: 揺りかご Korean: 요람; 흔들침대 Latvian: šūpulis Lithuanian: lopšys Norwegian: vogge Polish: kołyska Portuguese (Brazil): berço Portuguese (Portugal): berço Romanian: leagăn Russian: колыбель Slovak: kolíska Slovenian: zibelka Spanish: cuna Swedish: vagga Turkish: beşik
cradle 2 [ˈkreidl] noun
a frame of similar shape,
eg one under a ship that is being built or repaired
Arabic: حَمّالة السَّفينه، محْمل Chinese (Simplified): 支船架 Chinese (Traditional): 支船架 Czech: kolébková podpěra Danish: understøtning Dutch: slede Estonian: alusvanker Finnish: kelkka French: ber German: das Hängegerüst Greek: σκελετός, πλαίσιο Hungarian: lengőállvány Icelandic: bakkastokkar Indonesian: ayunan Italian: invasatura
Japanese: 架台 Korean: (배의) 수리대, 선가(船架) Latvian: grozāmas sastatnes; eliņš Lithuanian: stapelis, pastovas Norwegian: beddingvogn, slippvogn Polish: rusztowanie Portuguese (Brazil): berço Portuguese (Portugal): berço Romanian: cavalet Russian: спусковые салазки Slovak: podpera v tvare kolísky Slovenian: ogredje Spanish: rodamiento (minas); andamio (construcción); dique hijuela (transporte) Swedish: vagga Turkish: gemi kızağı
cradle [ˈkreidl] verb
to hold or rock as if in a cradle
Example:
She cradled the child in her arms.
Arabic: يَهُزُّ ، يُهَدهِدُ Chinese (Simplified): 象放在摇篮里似地兜着 Chinese (Traditional): 像放在搖籃裡似地兜著 Czech: (po)chovat Danish: vugge Dutch: wiegen Estonian: hällitama Finnish: tuudittaa French: bercer dans ses bras German: wiegen Greek: κουνώ, αγκαλιάζω Hungarian: bölcsőben ringat Icelandic: halda barni á örmum sér Indonesian: mengayun, membuai Italian: cullare
Japanese: ゆすってあやす Korean: (아이를) 흔들어 재우다 Latvian: šūpot; aijāt Lithuanian: švelniai laikyti, supti Norwegian: vogge; holde i sin hule hånd Polish: kołysać, piastować Portuguese (Brazil): embalar Portuguese (Portugal): embalar Romanian: a legăna Russian: убаюкивать Slovak: kolísať Slovenian: zibati Spanish: acunar, mecer Swedish: vagga Turkish: özenle tutmak
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Cra"dle\ (kr[=a]d'l), n. [AS. cradel, cradol, prob. from Celtic; cf. Gael. creathall, Ir. craidhal, W. cryd a shaking or rocking, a cradle; perh. akin to E. crate.]
1. A bed or cot for a baby, oscillating on rockers or swinging on pivots; hence, the place of origin, or in which anything is nurtured or protected in the earlier period of existence; as, a cradle of crime; the cradle of liberty.
The cradle that received thee at thy birth. --Cowper.
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle But I was made a king, at nine months old. --Shak.
2. Infancy, or very early life.
From their cradles bred together. --Shak.
A form of worship in which they had been educated from their cradles. --Clarendon.
3. (Agric.) An implement consisting of a broad scythe for cutting grain, with a set of long fingers parallel to the scythe, designed to receive the grain, and to lay it evenly in a swath.
4. (Engraving) A tool used in mezzotint engraving, which, by a rocking motion, raises burrs on the surface of the plate, so preparing the ground.
5. A framework of timbers, or iron bars, moving upon ways or rollers, used to support, lift, or carry ships or other vessels, heavy guns, etc., as up an inclined plane, or across a strip of land, or in launching a ship.
6. (Med.) (a) A case for a broken or dislocated limb. (b) A frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with the person.
7. (Mining) (a) A machine on rockers, used in washing out auriferous earth; -- also called a
rocker . [U.S.] (b) A suspended scaffold used in shafts.
8. (Carp.) The ribbing for vaulted ceilings and arches intended to be covered with plaster. --Knight.
9. (Naut.) The basket or apparatus in which, when a line has been made fast to a wrecked ship from the shore, the people are brought off from the wreck.
Cat's cradle . See under
Cat .
Cradle hole , a sunken place in a road, caused by thawing, or by travel over a soft spot.
Cradle scythe , a broad scythe used in a cradle for cutting grain.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Cra"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Cradled (-d'ld); p. pr. & vb. n.
Cradling (-dl?ng).]
1. To lay to rest, or rock, as in a cradle; to lull or quiet, as by rocking.
It cradles their fears to sleep. --D. A. Clark.
2. To nurse or train in infancy.
He that hath been cradled in majesty will not leave the throne to play with beggars. --Glanvill.
3. To cut and lay with a cradle, as grain.
4. To transport a vessel by means of a cradle.
In Lombardy . . . boats are cradled and transported over the grade. --Knight.
To cradle a picture , to put ribs across the back of a picture, to prevent the panels from warping.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Cra"dle\, v. i. To lie or lodge, as in a cradle.
Withered roots and husks wherein the acorn cradled. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Audio Help [kreyd-l] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -dled, -dling. 
