| Noun | 1. | cradle - a baby bed with sides and rockersbaby bed, baby's bed - a small bed for babies; enclosed by sides to prevent the baby from falling rocker - a curved support that permits the supported object to rock to and fro | |
| 2. | cradle - where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence; "the birthplace of civilization"origin, source, root, rootage, beginning - the place where something begins, where it springs into being; "the Italian beginning of the Renaissance"; "Jupiter was the origin of the radiation"; "Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River"; "communism's Russian root" | |
| 3. | cradle - birth of a person; "he was taught from the cradle never to cry"birth - the time when something begins (especially life); "they divorced after the birth of the child"; "his election signaled the birth of a new age" | |
| 4. | cradle - a trough on rockers used by gold miners to shake earth in water in order to separate the goldtrough - a long narrow shallow receptacle | |
| Verb | 1. | cradle - hold gently and carefully; "He cradles the child in his arms"take hold, hold - have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him" | |
| 2. | cradle - bring up from infancy | |
| 3. | cradle - hold or place in or as if in a cradle; "He cradled the infant in his arms"take hold, hold - have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him" | |
| 4. | cradle - cut grain with a cradle scythecut - separate with or as if with an instrument; "Cut the rope" | |
| 5. | cradle - wash in a cradle; "cradle gold"launder, wash - cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water; "Wash the towels, please!" | |
| 6. | cradle - run with the sticklacrosse - a game invented by American indians; now played by two teams who use long-handled rackets to catch and carry and throw the ball toward the opponents' goal play - participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches" | |