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⇱ cradle - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

cradle

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkreɪdəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈkreɪdəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(krād′l)

Inflections of 'cradle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
cradles
v 3rd person singular
cradling
v pres p
cradled
v past
cradled
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cra•dle /ˈkreɪdəl/USA pronunciation   n., v., -dled, -dling. 
n. [countable]
  1. Furniturea small bed for an infant:She rocked the baby gently in the cradle.
  2. the place where something develops or grows in its early years: Boston is the cradle of the American Revolution.
  3. Mechanical Engineering, Telecommunicationsa support for objects placed horizontally, such as the support for the receiver of a telephone.

v. [~ + object]
  1. to hold gently or protectively:cradled the little puppy in her arms.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
cra•dle  (krād′l),USA pronunciation n., v., -dled, -dling. 
n. 
  1. Furniturea small bed for an infant, usually on rockers.
  2. Mechanical Engineering, Telecommunicationsany of various supports for objects set horizontally, as the support for the handset of a telephone.
  3. the place where anything is nurtured during its early existence:Boston was the cradle of the American Revolution.
  4. [Agric.]
    • Agriculturea frame of wood with a row of long curved teeth projecting above and parallel to a scythe, for laying grain in bunches as it is cut.
    • Agriculturea scythe together with the cradle in which it is set.
  5. Winea wire or wicker basket used to hold a wine bottle in a more or less horizontal position while the wine is being served.
  6. Military[Artillery.]the part of a gun carriage on which a recoiling gun slides.
  7. Nautical, Naval Termsa landing platform for ferryboats, rolling on inclined tracks to facilitate loading and unloading at different water levels.
  8. Aeronauticsa docklike structure in which a rigid or semirigid airship is built or is supported during inflation.
  9. Automotivecreeper (def. 5).
  10. [Naut.]
    • Nauticala shaped support for a boat, cast, etc.;
      chock.
    • Nauticaltruss (def. 9).
  11. [Shipbuilding.]
    • Naval Termsa moving framework on which a hull slides down the ways when launched.
    • Naval Termsa built-up form on which plates of irregular form are shaped.
  12. Medicinea frame that prevents the bedclothes from touching an injured part of a bedridden patient.
  13. Mininga box on rockers for washing sand or gravel to separate gold or other heavy metal.
  14. Printingan engraver's tool for laying mezzotint grounds.
  15. [Painting.]a structure of wooden strips attached to the back of a panel, used as a support and to prevent warping.
  16. rob the cradle, [Informal.]to marry, court, or date a person much younger than oneself.

v.t. 
  1. to hold gently or protectively.
  2. to place or rock in or as in an infant's cradle.
  3. to nurture during infancy.
  4. to receive or hold as a cradle.
  5. to cut (grain) with a cradle.
  6. Nautical, Naval Termsto place (a vessel) on a cradle.
  7. Miningto wash (sand or gravel) in a cradle;
    rock.
  8. [Painting.]to support (a panel) with a cradle.

v.i. 
  1. to lie in or as if in a cradle.
  2. to cut grain with a cradle scythe.
  • bef. 1000; Middle English cradel, Old English cradol; akin to Old High German cratto basket
cra′dler, n. 
    3. birthplace, fountain, font, wellspring.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
cradle /ˈkreɪdəl/ n
  1. a baby's bed with enclosed sides, often with a hood and rockers
  2. a place where something originates or is nurtured during its early life: the cradle of civilization
  3. a frame, rest, or trolley made to support or transport a piece of equipment, aircraft, ship, etc
  4. a platform, cage, or trolley, in which workmen are suspended on the side of a building or ship
  5. the part of a telephone on which the handset rests when not in use
  6. a holder connected to a computer allowing data to be transferred from a mobile phone, digital camera, etc
    • a framework of several wooden fingers attached to a scythe to gather the grain into bunches as it is cut
    • a scythe equipped with such a cradle; cradle scythe
    • a collar of wooden fingers that prevents a horse or cow from turning its head and biting itself
  8. Also called: rocker a boxlike apparatus for washing rocks, sand, etc, containing gold or gem stones
  9. a tool that produces the pitted surface of a copper mezzotint plate before the design is engraved upon it
  10. a framework used to prevent the bedclothes from touching a sensitive part of an injured person
  11. from the cradle to the grave ⇒ throughout life
 vb
  1. (transitive) to rock or place in or as if in a cradle; hold tenderly
  2. (transitive) to nurture in or bring up from infancy
  3. (transitive) to replace (the handset of a telephone) on the cradle
  4. to reap (grain) with a cradle scythe
  5. (transitive) to wash (soil bearing gold, etc) in a cradle
  6. to keep (the ball) in the net of the stick, esp while running with it
Etymology: Old English cradol; related to Old High German kratto basketˈcradler n
'cradle' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
In Lists: Series, more...
Collocations: was rocking [the baby's, her daughter's] cradle, rock the cradle [gently, lovingly], [gently] rocked the cradle, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "cradle" in the title:

cat's cradle
cat's in the cradle
Cat's in the cradle
Cloth Cradle or simply cradle?
cradle
cradle = birthplace?
Cradle cake
cradle cap
cradle cuddle
cradle the balls
cradle to grave
cradle-school
Crib / Cradle
having one’s own flesh and blood to cradle one toward the grave
high cradle
it <had><has> always been the cradle of civilizations
Let 000 cradle your toes, reducing impact shock, shear, and pressure points to the foot.
nick-knock, <nick-knock>, went the cradle
Out of the cradle
politics rules our lives, from the cradle to the grave
"rock the cradle of love"
set some more bottles swinging in a cradle of wet straw
she studied the cradle
superior in a cradle, deferring to him
swing/oscillate the cradle
the intersection of influences from the cradle up
The school is a <cradle> of ....

Look up "cradle" at Merriam-Webster
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