lad·der

[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.
Nautical, companionway ( def 1 ).
6.
Chiefly British. a run in a stocking.
verb (used with object)
7.
to climb or mount by means of a ladder: to ladder a wall.
8.
to furnish with a ladder: to ladder a water tower.
9.
Chiefly British. to cause a run in (a stocking).
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verb (used without object)
10.
Chiefly British. to get a run, as in a stocking.
11.
to gain in popularity or importance: He laddered to the top of his profession.
Origin:
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

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

Can be confused: ladder, latter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
ladder (ˈlædə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—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.  chiefly (Brit) Also called: run a line of connected stitches that have come undone in knitted material, esp stockings
5.  See ladder tournament
 
—vb
6.  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 & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

ladder
O.E. hlæder, from P.Gmc. *khlaidri (cf. O.Fris. hledere, M.Du. ledere, O.H.G. leitara, Ger. Leiter), from PIE base *khli- "to lean" (cf. Gk. klimax "ladder;" see lean (v.)). The belief that walking under one brings bad luck is attested from 1787, but its origin likely
is more pragmatic than symbolic.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Easton
Bible Dictionary

Ladder definition


occurs only once, in the account of Jacob's vision (Gen. 28:12).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

ladder

see bottom of the ladder.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
We climbed a ladder into the vast cargo bay of one of the planes.
Harper's case moved up the judicial ladder without a trial.
The benefit is that you can work free of intellectually-restrictive
  career-ladder restraints.
To strengthen a wall, and perhaps a corner as well, add ladder wire every other
  course and under the top course.
Idioms & Phrases
bottom of the ladder
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Images for ladder
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