cradle
/ˈkɹeɪdəl/
Frequency: 3.50 in modern English
Meaning
noun
The place of origin, or in which anything is nurtured or protected in the earlier period of existence.
noun
An implement consisting of a broad scythe for cutting grain, with a set of long fingers parallel to the scythe, designed to receive the grain, and to lay it evenly in a swath.
noun
A tool used in mezzotint engraving, which, by a rocking motion, raises burrs on the surface of the plate, so as to prepare the ground.
noun
A framework of timbers, or iron bars, moving upon ways or rollers, used to support, lift, or carry ships or other vessels, heavy guns, etc., as up an inclined plane, or across a strip of land, or in launching a ship.
noun
A case for a broken or dislocated limb.
Example Sentences
- "No sooner was I crept out of my cradle / But I was made a king, at nine months old."
- "the cradle that received thee at thy birth"
- "Hush-a-by, baby, upon the tree-top; / When the wind blows the cradle will rock; / When the bough breaks the cradle will fall; / Down will come cradle and baby and all."
- "a cradle of crime"
- "the cradle of liberty"
- "from the cradle to the grave"
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: cradel, cradol, *kradul, *kradulaz, *kradô