Lad"der (-d&etilde;r),
n. [OE. laddre, AS. hl&aemacr;der, hl&aemacr;dder; akin to OFries. hladder, OHG.
leitara, G. leiter, and from the
root of E.
lean, v. √40. See Lean, v. i., and cf. Climax.]
1. A frame
usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are
fastened cross strips or rounds
forming steps.
Some the engines play,
And some, more bold, mount ladders to the fire.
Dryden.
2. That which resembles a ladder in form or use; hence, that by means of which one attains to eminence.
Lowliness is
young ambition's ladder.
Shak. Fish ladder. See under Fish. -- Ladder beetle
(Zoöl.), an American leaf beetle (Chrysomela scalaris). The elytra are silvery white, striped and spotted with green; the under wings are rose- colored. It feeds upon the linden tree. -- Ladder handle, an iron rail at
the side of
a vertical fixed ladder, to grasp with
the hand in
climbing. -- Ladder shell (Zoöl.), a spiral marine shell of the
genus Scalaria. See Scalaria.
Hear it pronounced