Cradle | Mean of cradle in English Dictionary

/ˈkreɪdl̟/

• Noun
• a bed for a baby that is usually designed to rock back and forth when pushed gently
1. She rocked the cradle.
2. He learned to play chess when he was barely out of the cradle. [=when he was very young]
• the place where something begins
1. the cradle of civilization/liberty
• something that is used to hold or support something else
1. She placed the phone back on its cradle.
2. A number of ships were resting in their cradles in the shipyard.

• a platform designed to move up and down the sides of a building so that workers can paint, clean, etc.
• from the beginning until the end of life
1. He led a life of hardship from the cradle to the grave.
2. The book describes her life from cradle to grave.
• to date or marry someone who is much younger than you
1. His friends accused him of robbing the cradle when they saw how young his girlfriend was.
• Verb
• to hold (something or someone) gently in your arms or hands
1. He cradled her face in his hands.
2. She was cradling the injured man's head in her arms.
3. cradle a baby