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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Ladder \Lad"der\ (l[a^]d"d[~e]r), noun [OE. laddre, AS. hl[=ae]der, hl[=ae]dder; akin to OFries. hladder, OHG. leitara, G. leiter, and from the root of E. lean, v. [root]40. See {Lean}, verb (used without an object), and cf. {Climax}.]
1. A frame usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened cross strips or rounds forming steps.
Some the engines play, And some, more bold, mount ladders to the fire. --Dryden.
2. That which resembles a ladder in form or use; hence, that by means of which one attains to eminence; as, to climb the corporate ladder. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Lowliness is young ambition's ladder. --Shak.
{Fish ladder}. See under {Fish}.
{Ladder beetle} (Zo["o]l.), an American leaf beetle ({Chrysomela scalaris}). The elytra are silvery white, striped and spotted with green; the under wings are rose-colored. It feeds upon the linden tree.
{Ladder handle}, an iron rail at the side of a vertical fixed ladder, to grasp with the hand in climbing.
{Ladder shell} (Zo["o]l.), a spiral marine shell of the genus {Scalaria}. See {Scalaria}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
ladder
noun
1: steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
2: ascending stages by which somebody or something can progress; "he climbed the career ladder"
3: a row of unravelled stitches; "she got a run in her stocking" [syn: {run}, {ravel}]
verb: come unraveled or undone as if by snagging; "Her nylons were running" [syn: {run}]
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Ladder occurs only once, in the account of Jacob's vision (Gen. 28:12).
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