- 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.
- something resembling this.
- a means of rising, as to eminence: the ladder of success.
- a graded series of stages or levels in status; a hierarchical order of position or rank: high on the political ladder.
- companionway (def. 1).
- a run in a stocking.
- to climb or mount by means of a ladder: to ladder a wall.
- to furnish with a ladder: to ladder a water tower.
- to cause a run in (a stocking).
- to get a run, as in a stocking.
- to gain in popularity or importance: He laddered to the top of his profession.
- 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
- any hierarchy conceived of as having a series of ascending stages, levels, etc
- anything resembling a ladder
- (as modifier)
- a line of connected stitches that have come undone in knitted material, esp stockings
- See ladder tournament
- 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
