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Jacob's ladder
1noun
- a ladder seen by Jacob in a dream, reaching from the earth to heaven. Genesis 28:12.
- Nautical.
- Also called jack ladder, a hanging ladder having ropes or chains supporting wooden or metal rungs or steps.
- any ladderlike arrangement aloft other than one of rattled shrouds.
Jacob's-ladder
2[ jey-kuhbz-lad-er ]
noun
- any of various plants belonging to the genus Polemonium, of the phlox family, especially P. caeruleum (or P. van-bruntiae ), having blue, cup-shaped flowers and paired leaflets in a ladderlike arrangement.
Jacob's ladder
noun
- Old Testament the ladder reaching up to heaven that Jacob saw in a dream (Genesis 28:12–17)
- Also calledjack ladder a ladder made of wooden or metal steps supported by ropes or chains
- a North American polemoniaceous plant, Polemonium caeruleum , with blue flowers and a ladder-like arrangement of leaves
- any of several similar or related plants
Jacob's ladder
- 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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Word History and Origins
Origin of Jacob's ladder1
First recorded in 1840–45 Jacob's ladder fordef 2
Origin of Jacob's ladder2
First recorded in 1725–35
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