cage

[keyj] /keɪdʒ/
noun
1.
a boxlike enclosure having wires, bars, or the like, for confining and displaying birds or animals.
2.
anything that confines or imprisons; prison.
3.
something resembling a cage in structure, as for a cashier or bank teller.
4.
the car or enclosed platform of an elevator.
5.
Mining. an enclosed platform for raising and lowering people and cars in a mine shaft.
6.
any skeleton framework.
7.
Baseball. a movable backstop for use mainly in batting practice.
8.
a frame with a net attached to it, forming the goal in ice hockey and field hockey.
9.
Basketball Older Use. the basket.
10.
a loose, sheer or lacy overdress worn with a slip or a close-fitting dress.
11.
Ordnance. a steel framework for supporting guns.
12.
Machinery, retainer1 (def 3).
verb (used with object), caged, caging.
13.
to put or confine in or as if in a cage.
14.
Sports. to shoot (as a puck) into a cage so as to score a goal.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin cavea birdcage, equivalent to cav(us) hollow + -ea, feminine of -eus adj. suffix
Related forms
cageless, adjective
cagelike, adjective
recage, verb (used with object), recaged, recaging.
Synonyms
1. pen, coop, enclosure, pound.

Cage

[keyj] /keɪdʒ/
noun
1.
John, 1912–1992, U.S. composer.
Examples from the web for cage
  • This reduces wind vibrations and handling noise transmitted from the cage.
  • This process works in conjunction with the intercostal muscles connected to the rib cage.
  • Their rib cage is well sprung and is topped by a level top line.
  • The dealer rotates the cage end over end, with the dice landing on the bottom.
British Dictionary definitions for cage

cage

/keɪdʒ/
noun
1.
  1. an enclosure, usually made with bars or wire, for keeping birds, monkeys, mice, etc
  2. (as modifier): cagebird
2.
a thing or place that confines or imprisons
3.
something resembling a cage in function or structure: the rib cage
4.
the enclosed platform of a lift, esp as used in a mine
5.
(engineering) a skeleton ring device that ensures that the correct amount of space is maintained between the individual rollers or balls in a rolling bearing
6.
(informal) the basket used in basketball
7.
(informal) the goal in ice hockey
8.
(US) a steel framework on which guns are supported
9.
(informal) rattle someone's cage, to upset or anger someone
verb
10.
(transitive) to confine in or as in a cage
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin cavea enclosure, from cavus hollow

Cage

/keɪdʒ/
noun
1.
John. 1912–92, US composer of experimental music for a variety of conventional, modified, or invented instruments. He evolved a type of music apparently undetermined by the composer, such as in Imaginary Landscape (1951) for 12 radio sets. Other works include Reunion (1968), Apartment Building 1776 (1976), and Europeras 3 and 4 (1990)
Word Origin and History for cage
n.

early 13c., from Old French cage "cage, prison; retreat, hideout" (12c.), from Latin cavea "hollow place, enclosure for animals, coop, hive, stall, dungeon, spectators' seats in the theater" (cf. Italian gabbia "basket for fowls, coop;" see cave (n.)).

v.

1570s, from cage (n.). Related: Caged; caging.

Slang definitions & phrases for cage

cage

modifier

: a big cage star/ the cage standing

noun
  1. A prison (1630s+)
  2. A car or van: The cage behind me bleated its horn (1970s+ Motorcyclists)
  3. A basketball basket or net (1920s+ Sports)
  4. Basketball (1920s+ Sports)
verb
  1. : The punk concealed a genuine terror of being caged
  2. cadge
Related Terms

rattle someone's cage, rattle cages


cage in Technology


Early system on IBM 704. Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959).

cage in the Bible

(Heb. kelub', Jer. 5:27, marg. "coop;" rendered "basket" in Amos 8:1), a basket of wicker-work in which birds were placed after being caught. In Rev. 18:2 it is the rendering of the Greek _phulake_, properly a prison or place of confinement.