climb

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To move up something, often using your hands and feet.

   We climbed the hill behind our house to watch the sunset.

2. 2
   verb

   To rise or increase to a higher level or value.

   Prices climbed steeply after the new tax was introduced.

3. 3
   verb

   To slope upward.

   The narrow path climbed all the way to the top of the hill.

4. 4
   noun

   The act of going up something, especially a steep place.

   It was a long, difficult climb to the top of the mountain.

5. 5
   verb

   To rise to a higher social position.

   She worked hard to climb the social ladder.

Common collocations

• climb a tree Verb + noun

From Middle English climben, clymben, from Old English climban (“to climb”), from Proto-West Germanic *klimban, from Proto-Germanic *klimbaną (“to climb, go up by clinging”), believed to be a nasalised variant of Proto-Germanic *klibaną, *klibāną (“to stick, cleave”), from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (“to stick”). Cognate with West Frisian klimme (“to climb”), Dutch klimmen (“to climb”), German klimmen (“to climb”), Old Norse klembra (“to squeeze”), Icelandic klifra (“to climb”). Related to clamber. See also clay, glue.

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