ladder

Meaning

Noun

1. A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or rounds acting as steps).
2. (figuratively) A series of stages by which one progresses to a better position.
3. (figuratively) The hierarchy or ranking system within an organization, such as the corporate ladder.
4. (British) A length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment, especially in nylon stockings; a run.
5. A sequence of moves following a zigzag pattern and ultimately leading to the capture of the attacked stones.

Verb

1. To arrange or form into a shape of a ladder.
2. To ascend (a building, a wall, etc.) using a ladder.
3. Of a knitted garment: to develop a ladder as a result of a broken thread.
4. (UK, slang) To close in on a target with successive salvos, increasing or decreasing the shot range as necessary.
5. (UK) To corruptly coerce a convicted offender to admit to offences to be taken into consideration which they do not actually believe they committed, as a way to artificially increase the rate of solved crimes.

Synonyms

stairs

steps

staircase

stairway

run

stair

stepladder

ravel

flight of steps

guide

laceration

leader

ramp

rank

rent

rudder

rupture

scale

sea ladder

slit

spew

stage

step

step ladder

stepping-stone

steppingstones

stile

tear

unravel

boarding bridge

stagewise

means of climbing

steel sadder

step-stool

staricase

sea steps

belch

apples and pears

burst forth

cascade

climb

down

erupt

etc.

extravasate

gangway

Translations

échelle

🪜

Leiter

🪜

escalera

scala

🪜

ladder

🪜

escada

🪜

Treppe

σκάλα

escalera de mano

🪜

merdiven

smagliarsi

escala

سلم

☮️

Laufmasche

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈladə/

Etymology

Cognate with Scots: ledder

Cognate with Northern Frisian: ladder

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Laadere

Cognate with Western Frisian: ljedder

Cognate with Dutch: ladder

Cognate with German: Leiter

Cognate with Old Irish: clithar

Cognate with Umbrian: 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌

In summary

Inherited from Middle English ladder, laddre; from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlóydʰrom, from *ḱley- (“to lean”).
Compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, German Leiter; also Old Irish clithar (“hedge”), and Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌 (kleθram, “stretcher”). See lean, which is related to lid.
Further cognates include Ashkun istrī, Kamkata-viri c̣ik, Prasuni čik, čix; Waigali c̣iř, Sanskrit श्रिति (śrití).