ladder
noun /ˈlædə(r)/
/ˈlædər/
enlarge imagea piece of equipment for climbing up and down a wall, the side of a building, etc., consisting of two lengths of wood or metal that are joined together by steps or rungs- to climb up/fall off a ladder
Extra ExamplesTopics Houses and homesb2, Buildingsb2- He went up the ladder onto the deck.
- I was standing lower down the ladder.
- Several of the ladder's rungs were broken.
- She was up a ladder fixing the roof.
- We put up the ladder against the wall.
- We put up the ladder and went to get the paint.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- rickety
- metal
- wooden
- …
- ascend
- clamber up
- climb
- …
- on a/the ladder
- up a/the ladder
- down a/the ladder
- …
- the bottom of a ladder
- the foot of a ladder
- the top of a ladder
- …
- [usually singular] a series of stages by which you can make progress in your life or career
- to move up or down the social ladder
- the career ladder
- (British English) to get onto the property ladder (= buy your first home)
Extra Examples- His good looks helped him on the ladder to success.
- She was anxious to move up the promotion ladder.
- creatures higher up the evolutionary ladder
- helping her on the ladder to success
- the ladder of fame
- the old problem of how to get onto the first step on the ladder
- the people at the top of the social ladder
- Ann is on the bottom rung of the promotional ladder.
- He progressed up the ladder and is now a partner in the firm.
- How quickly you move up the career ladder depends largely on your level of commitment.
- Humans are relative newcomers on the evolutionary ladder.
- I started out at the very bottom of the ladder.
- It is increasingly difficult for young people to get on the housing ladder.
- She was not interested in climbing the corporate ladder.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- economic
- evolutionary
- social
- …
- ascend
- climb
- move up
- …
- higher up the ladder
- lower down the ladder
- ladder of
- …
- get one foot on the ladder
- have one foot on the ladder
- a rung on the ladder
- …
- (British English) (North American English run)a long, thin hole in tights or stockings where some threads have broken
- I've got a ladder in my new tights.
- (also ladder tournament)a competition in a particular sport or game in which teams or players are arranged in a list and they can move up the list by defeating one of the teams or players above
- He’s third on the tennis ladder at work.
Word OriginOld English hlǣd(d)er, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch leer and German Leiter.