noun
ladder
LAD-uh
noun
1
A frame with rungs used for climbing up or down.
"He climbed the ladder to fix the gutter."
2
A series of steps or stages leading to a better position, especially in a career.
"She worked her way up the corporate ladder over twenty years."
3
A vertical run of unravelled stitches in tights or a knitted garment.
"She noticed a ladder running up her tights just before the interview."
verb
1
Of a knitted garment, to develop a run when a thread breaks.
"Her stockings laddered the moment they snagged on the chair."
How to Use Ladder
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA climbing frame with rungs, or figuratively, a path of progress — such as up a career.
UK vs US
The "run in stockings" sense is mainly British; American English usually says "run" instead of "ladder."
Common pairings
climb the ladder
career ladder
ladder in her tights
Word Forms
laddered past tense, ladders plural, ladders singular
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Etymology
From Old English hlǣder, related to the word "lean," describing something you lean against to climb.