cradle Meaning & Definition
What Does Cradle Mean?
Cradle is used as a noun meaning a bed or cot for a baby usually on rockers or pivots. It can also mean a framework or support suggestive of a baby's cradle. As a verb, it means to place or keep in or as if in a cradle.
Cradle in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkrā-dᵊl/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | provenance, birthplace and place of origin |
| Plural | cradles |
| Verb forms | cradles, cradling, cradled |
Cradle Definition (Noun)
- a bed or cot for a baby usually on rockers or pivots
- a framework or support suggestive of a baby's cradle: such as
- a framework of bars and rods
- the support for a telephone receiver or handset
- a charging station for a device (such as a smartphone or tablet)
- an implement with rods like fingers attached to a scythe and used formerly for harvesting grain
- a frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with an injured part of the body
- the earliest period of life : infancy
from the cradle to the grave
- a place of origin
the cradle of civilization
- a rocking device used in panning for gold
Cradle as a Verb
- to place or keep in or as if in a cradle
- shelter, rear
- to support protectively or intimately
cradling the injured man's head in her arms
- to cut (grain) with a cradle scythe
- to place, raise, support, or transport on a cradle
- to rest in or as if in a cradle
Synonyms of Cradle
Cradle in a Sentence
a cradle of crime
the cradle of liberty
from the cradle to the grave
The cradle was ill-made. One victim fell into the sea and was lost and the ensuing delay cost three more lives.
He slammed the handset into the cradle.
cradling the injured man’s head in her arms
the cradle of civilization
cradling the injured man's head in her arms
Philadelphia is known as the cradle of liberty because it was there that the Declaration of Independence was signed
the 1848 meeting at Seneca Falls, New York, is often regarded as the cradle of the women's suffrage movement
Word Forms & Grammar
cradle
cradles
cra·dled
cra·dling
cradled
cradling
cradle (plural cradles)
cradle (third-person singular simple present cradles, present participle cradling, simple past and past participle cradled)
Words That Rhyme With Cradle
Origin of Cradle
Origin 1: Middle English cradel, from Old English cradol; perhaps akin to Old High German kratto basket, Sanskrit grantha knot
Origin 2: From Middle English cradel, credel, from Old English cradol, from Proto-West Germanic *kradul, from Proto-Germanic *kradulaz, from Proto-Germanic *kradô (“(wicker) basket”). Related to cart.
First Known Use
before 12th century
15th centuryt
Cradle Pronunciation
Cradle is pronounced /ˈkrā-dᵊl/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (krā).
Frequently Asked Questions About Cradle
Is cradle a noun or a verb?
Cradle is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for cradle?
You can replace cradle with words such as provenance, birthplace and place of origin. See the full list of cradle synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of cradle?
The plural of cradle is cradles.
What is the past tense of cradle?
The past tense of cradle is cradled. The present participle is cradling.