cradle

Word family

Related topics: Babies, Telephone, telegraph

cra·dle1 /ˈkreɪdl/ noun

1 BEDDHB[countableC] a small bed for a baby, especially one that moves gently from side to side 摇篮 → cot

She rocked the cradle to quieten the child.

她摇动摇篮，让宝宝安静下来。

2 the cradle of something formalCOME FROM/ORIGINATE the place where something important began 某事物的发源地；某事物的策源地

Athens is often regarded as the cradle of democracy.

雅典常常被认为是民主的发源地。

Examples from the Corpus

the cradle of something• It was also the cradle of the nation's aircraft industry, starting with A V Roe's historic flight in 1908.• I imagined Richard, my massive hunk, sheltering a tiny kitty in the cradle of his arm.• Inside the cradle of my legs I carry hunger.• This region after all is the cradle of civilisation.• Democracy of the shared class-room experience is the cradle of democracy in the outside world.• I was born on the crest of a wave and rocked in the cradle of the deep.• All told, the cradle of civilization has been tearing asunder for some 30 million years.• Leipzig was the cradle of East Germany's pro-democracy movement.• In school we sang Hail to thee, Lake Wobegon, the cradle of our youth.

3 from (the) cradle to (the) grave LONG TIMEall through your life 一辈子，从生到死

From cradle to grave, the car marks every rite of American passage.

汽车见证着美国人从生到死每一个重要的人生阶段。

Examples from the Corpus

from (the) cradle to (the) grave• They should also inform shoppers as to the product's environmental friendliness from cradle to grave - evaluated according to standardized criteria.• The state now provided something of a protective safety net from the cradle to the grave.

4 BEGINNING[singular] the beginning of something 开始，开端

Like most Catholic children, he had heard stories of Ireland from the cradle.

像大多数天主教家庭的孩子一样，他自幼就开始听有关爱尔兰的故事。

5 TBC[countableC] a structure that is used to lift something heavy up or down 〔空中作业用的〕吊架，吊篮，吊船

a window-cleaner’s cradle

窗户清洁工的吊篮

6 TCT[countableC] the part of a telephone where you put the receiver when you are not using it 〔电话的〕听筒架

She replaced the receiver on the cradle.

她把听筒放回听筒架上。

→ cat's cradle, → rob the cradle at rob(5)

Examples from the Corpus

cradle• The baby rested peacefully in his cradle.• Out of nowhere came a gold incense cradle.• Jane put Chantal down in her makeshift cradle in the corner and hastily tidied herself up.• When the telephone rang, it was like a rude interruption into a special cradle of time.• In it was a single bed and also the cradle in which she and Jessie had lain many years ago.• Ancient Athens is generally thought of as the cradle of democracy.• Baghdad, the cradle of civilization• He put the phone down on the cradle and stared at it.• When we hear Frau Braun coming, I hastily drop the gauze over the cradle and hide behind the partition.• Yearning made a warm cradle in her stomach.• I curse myself for not strangling you in your cradle.

rocked ... cradle• If she cried he rocked the cradle and sang to her tunelessly.

from the cradle• They are electrically powered and operate from supports built on rails with vertical and horizontal movement controlled from the cradle.• Her life, comparative ease from the cradle up; she had to thank her father.• Because you've been crackers about Christopher, in love with him from the cradle.• He had heard stories of Ireland from the cradle, as most Catholic children had.• Practices which have characterised the details of your daily living from the cradle upwards are dealt a swift and final blow.• The state now provided something of a protective safety net from the cradle to the grave.

cradle2 verb [transitiveT]

1 PROTECTto hold something gently, as if to protect it 轻轻地抱着

John cradled the baby in his arms.

约翰把宝宝轻轻抱在怀里。

► see thesaurus at hug

2 to hold a telephone receiver by putting it between your ear and your shoulder 〔用耳部和肩部〕夹住〔电话听筒〕

She hunched over the desk, telephone cradled at her neck.

她伏在桌上，脖子上夹着电话听筒。

Examples from the Corpus

cradle• Inside, John lay cradling a pillow in the dark.• The elements it cradles are in a dynamic equilibrium with the cycling composition of the atmosphere and water and biosphere.• Sitting down beside her, Michele pulled her on to his knee, cradling her as one would a child.• But next instant, he came closer and his fingers cradled her face, the box in her hands keeping them apart.• She felt the soldier's hand gently cradle her face.• Once she was seated, he put his arms around her, cradling her fair head against his chest.• His arm was cradled in a sling.• Tamara was safely cradled in her mother's arms.• I cradled the bottom of the paper bag containing my lamb chops.• I scissored my legs closed, wanting to keep my child cradled within me, safe.

Origin cradle1

Old English cradol

cra·dle1 nouncradle2 verb

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus