ladder

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈlædər/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈlædɚ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(lad′ər)

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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2026:

Principal Translations
InglésEspañol
ladder n (set of rungs for climbing)escalera nf
 John used the ladder to climb onto the roof to clean out the gutters.
 John usó la escalera para trepar al techo y limpiar la cuneta.
ladder n figurative (corporate ladder) (figurado)escalera nf
  escala nf
 Dan started working as an intern and worked his way up the ladder over the next few decades.
 Dan empezó como pasante y trabajó por subir la escalera durante la próxima década.
ladder [sth]⇒ vtr UK (tear: tights, stockings) (medias)hacer una carrera loc verb
 I laddered my tights trying to climb over the fence.
 Me hice una carrera en las medias tratando de trepar la reja.
ladder⇒ vi UK (tights, stockings: run) (medias)hacer una carrera loc verb
 My stockings were so sheer, they laddered after ten minutes' wear.
 Mis medias eran tan finas que me hice una carrera apenas diez minutos después de ponérmelas.
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Additional Translations
InglésEspañol
ladder n (tights: run)carrera nf
 Stacy's tights had a ladder in them.
 Las medias de Stacey tenían una carrera.
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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2026:

Compound Forms:
InglésEspañol
accommodation ladder n (ship's portable steps) (Náutica)escala real loc nom f
career ladder n figurative (advancement in a job) (formal)promoción profesional nf
  (figurado)trampolín nf
  (figurado)escalar posiciones loc verb
 Peter works a lot of overtime in hopes that he can climb the career ladder quickly.
climb the ladder v expr figurative (advance your career) (figurado)ascender⇒ vi
  (figurado)subir por la escalera loc verb
 He was determined to climb the ladder and become the company chairman one day.
 Estaba decidido a ascender y un día convertirse en el jefe de la empresa.
  escalar posiciones loc verb
corporate ladder n figurative (hierarchy within a business) (empresa)escalafón nm
  jerarquía, escala nf
extension ladder (extendable ladder)escalera extensible nf + adj mf
fish ladder n (allows fish past a dam)escala de peces grupo nom
jack ladder,
pilot ladder n		 (nautical: Jacob's ladder)escala de gato loc nom f
jack ladder n (lumbering: bull chain)cadena de arrastre nf + loc adj
Jacob's ladder n (Biblical story)escalera de Jacob n propio f
Jacob's ladder n (nautical: jack ladder)escala de gato loc nom f
Jacob's ladder n (plant)polemonio nm
ladder back,
ladder-back chair n		 (type of chair)silla con respaldo de escalera nf + loc adj
ladder rack n (structure for transporting a ladder)portaescalera nm
 That truck has a ladder rack behind the cab.
ladderproof,
ladder-proof adj		 UK (of stockings, tights)que no se corren loc adj
  (ES)anticarreras adj inv
property ladder n figurative (progress from cheaper to more expensive housing) (economía)escalera de propiedad, escalera inmobiliaria loc nom f
 When they were approved for a home loan, they were able to leave their apartment and move up the property ladder.
 Cuando se les concedió la hipoteca pudieron dejar su apartamento y ascender un peldaño en la escalera de propiedad.
rope ladder n (ladder made primarily of rope)escala de cuerda nf
 The best way to get up the tree was by the rope ladder.
 Para subir al árbol hicimos una escala de cuerda.
  escalera de cuerdas nf
 El abuelo les regaló una escalera de cuerdas para la casita del árbol.
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'ladder' aparece también en las siguientes entradas:
In the English description:
extension ladder - jack ladder - Jacob's ladder - ladder rack - rope ladder - rung - stave
Spanish:
escala - escalera - escalerilla - carrera - desmallar - escalafón - escalera de tijera

Collocations: is climbing up the career ladder, has [moved, climbed] up the career ladder, [escalate, rise, climb] the career ladder, more...

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

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See Google Translate's machine translation of 'ladder'.

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