From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_192_bladderlad‧der1 /ˈlædə $ -ər/ ●●● S3 noun [countable] 1 
Da piece of equipment used for climbing up to or down from high places. A ladder has two bars that are connected by rungs (=short bars that you use as steps) She climbed up the ladder. He hurt himself falling off a ladder. → Snakes and Ladders, rope ladder, stepladder2 UPa series of levels which someone moves up and down within an organization, profession, or societycareer/corporate ladder Stevens slowly worked his way up the corporate ladder. Becoming a doctor would be a step up the social ladder. the first step on the ladder of success3 British EnglishTEAR a long thin hole in stockings or tights where some stitches have broken SYN run American English Yes, I know I’ve got a ladder in my tights.COLLOCATIONSverbsclimb (up/down) a ladderHe climbed the ladder up to the diving platform.go up/down a ladderBe careful going down the ladder!come up/down a ladderDickson came up the ladder from the engine room.descend a ladder formal (=climb down)He closed the hatch and descended the ladder.fall off a ladderOne of the builders fell off a ladder and broke his leg.phrasesa rung of a ladder (=the part you put your foot on)The first rung of the ladder was broken.a step of a ladder (=the part you put your foot on)The can of paint was balanced on one of the steps of the ladder.the foot of a ladder (=the bottom of a ladder)Zach waited at the foot of the ladder while Sam climbed up.the bottom/top of a ladderShe sighed with relief when she reached the bottom of the ladder.
Da piece of equipment used for climbing up to or down from high places. A ladder has two bars that are connected by rungs (=short bars that you use as steps) She climbed up the ladder. He hurt himself falling off a ladder. → Snakes and Ladders, rope ladder, stepladder2 UPa series of levels which someone moves up and down within an organization, profession, or societycareer/corporate ladder Stevens slowly worked his way up the corporate ladder. Becoming a doctor would be a step up the social ladder. the first step on the ladder of success3 British EnglishTEAR a long thin hole in stockings or tights where some stitches have broken SYN run American English Yes, I know I’ve got a ladder in my tights.COLLOCATIONSverbsclimb (up/down) a ladderHe climbed the ladder up to the diving platform.go up/down a ladderBe careful going down the ladder!come up/down a ladderDickson came up the ladder from the engine room.descend a ladder formal (=climb down)He closed the hatch and descended the ladder.fall off a ladderOne of the builders fell off a ladder and broke his leg.phrasesa rung of a ladder (=the part you put your foot on)The first rung of the ladder was broken.a step of a ladder (=the part you put your foot on)The can of paint was balanced on one of the steps of the ladder.the foot of a ladder (=the bottom of a ladder)Zach waited at the foot of the ladder while Sam climbed up.the bottom/top of a ladderShe sighed with relief when she reached the bottom of the ladder. Examples from the Corpus
ladder• I got a ladder in my tights.• It was a trim white house with a ladder leaning against it.• Right up the sides of them, without a ladder or rope or funny boots.• Stevens worked his way to the top of the corporate ladder.• I washed up and climbed the ladder to the attic.• Ignore the ladder and go to the door just past the policeman.• She climbed higher and at last managed the difficult transition from the top of the ladder to the edge of the hatch frame.• Credit card donations: Back on the ladder Stella Bingham First-timers spot bargains as home market moves at last.• As companies view for ever-larger market shares, competition seeps down to the lowliest rung on the ladder.• The mercer started to direct them as they propped the ladder against the side of the house.climbed up ... ladder• Picking up his now empty haversack, Yanto climbed up the ladder on to the deck.social ladder• Elliott and Nancy were next on thirtysomething's social ladder.• The effect of the closures is being felt all the way down the social ladder.• Those at the bottom of the social ladder have already been hit so hard that they have no money at all.• It is a contradiction which thousands happily go along with because they are keen to advance up the social ladder.• His ever-so-proper role as financial consultant to the Duchess of York marked the pinnacle of his climb up the social ladder.ladderladder2 verb [intransitive, transitive] British EnglishTEAR if stockings or tights ladder, or if you ladder them, a long thin hole is made in them because some stitches have broken SYN run American English► see thesaurus at tear→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
ladder• Damn! I've laddered my tights!From Longman Business Dictionaryladderlad‧der /ˈlædə-ər/ noun [singular] a series of levels within an organization or profession, which people move up and downHe is moving swiftly up the corporate ladder.Origin ladder Old English hlæder 