[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

cradle \cra"dle\ kr=ad'l, n. as. cradel, cradol, prob. from
   celtic; cf. gael. creathall, ir. craidhal, w. cryd a shaking
   or rocking, a cradle; perh. akin to e. crate.
   1. a bed or cot for a baby, oscillating on rockers or
      swinging on pivots; hence, the place of origin, or in
      which anything is nurtured or protected in the earlier
      period of existence; as, a cradle of crime; the cradle of
      liberty.
      1913 webster

            the cradle that received thee at thy birth.
                                                  --cowper.
      1913 webster

            no sooner was i crept out of my cradle
            but i was made a king, at nine months old. --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. infancy, or very early life.
      1913 webster

            from their cradles bred together.     --shak.
      1913 webster

            a form of worship in which they had been educated
            from their cradles. --clarendon.
      1913 webster

   3. agric. an implement consisting of a broad scythe for
      cutting grain, with a set of long fingers parallel to the
      scythe, designed to receive the grain, and to lay it
      evenly in a swath.
      1913 webster

   4. engraving a tool used in mezzotint engraving, which, by
      a rocking motion, raises burrs on the surface of the
      plate, so preparing the ground.
      1913 webster

   5. a framework of timbers, or iron bars, moving upon ways or
      rollers, used to support, lift, or carry ships or other
      vessels, heavy guns, etc., as up an inclined plane, or
      across a strip of land, or in launching a ship.
      1913 webster

   6. med.
      a a case for a broken or dislocated limb.
      b a frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with the
          person.
          1913 webster

   7. mining
      a a machine on rockers, used in washing out auriferous
          earth; -- also called a rocker. u.s.
      b a suspended scaffold used in shafts.
          1913 webster

   8. carp. the ribbing for vaulted ceilings and arches
      intended to be covered with plaster. --knight.
      1913 webster

   9. naut. the basket or apparatus in which, when a line has
      been made fast to a wrecked ship from the shore, the
      people are brought off from the wreck.
      1913 webster

   cat's cradle. see under cat.

   cradle hole, a sunken place in a road, caused by thawing,
      or by travel over a soft spot.

   cradle scythe, a broad scythe used in a cradle for cutting
      grain.
      1913 webster
see also:
rocker cat's cradle cat cradle hole cradle scythe 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

cat \cat\ ka^t, n. as. cat; akin to d.  dan. kat, sw.
   katt, icel. k"ottr, g. katze, kater, ir. cat, w. cath,
   armor. kaz, ll. catus, bisc. catua, ngr. ga`ta, ga`tos, russ.
    pol. kot, turk. kedi, ar. qitt; of unknown origin. cf.
   kitten.
   1. zool. any animal belonging to the natural family
      felidae, and in particular to the various species of the
      genera felis, panthera, and lynx. the domestic cat
      is felis domestica. the european wild cat felis
      catus is much larger than the domestic cat. in the
      united states the name wild cat is commonly applied to
      the bay lynx lynx rufus. the larger felines, such as
      the lion, tiger, leopard, and cougar, are often referred
      to as cats, and sometimes as big cats. see wild cat, and
      tiger cat.
      1913 webster +pjc

   note: the domestic cat includes many varieties named from
         their place of origin or from some peculiarity; as, the
         angora cat; the maltese cat; the manx cat; the
         siamese cat.
         1913 webster

               laying aside their often rancorous debate over
               how best to preserve the florida panther, state
               and federal wildlife officials,
               environmentalists, and independent scientists
               endorsed the proposal, and in 1995 the eight cats
               female texas cougars were brought from texas
               and released. . . .
               uprooted from the arid hills of west texas, three
               of the imports have died, but the remaining five
               adapted to swamp life and have each given birth
               to at least one litter of kittens. --mark derr
                                                  n. y. times,
                                                  nov. 2, 1999,
                                                  science times
                                                  p. f2.
         pjc

   note: the word cat is also used to designate other animals,
         from some fancied resemblance; as, civet cat, fisher
         cat, catbird, catfish shark, sea cat.
         1913 webster

   2. naut.
      a a strong vessel with a narrow stern, projecting
          quarters, and deep waist. it is employed in the coal
          and timber trade.
      b a strong tackle used to draw an anchor up to the
          cathead of a ship. --totten.
          1913 webster

   3. a double tripod for holding a plate, etc., having six
      feet, of which three rest on the ground, in whatever
      position it is placed.
      1913 webster

   4. an old game; specifically:
      a the game of tipcat and the implement with which it is
          played. see tipcat.
      b a game of ball, called, according to the number of
          batters, one old cat, two old cat, etc.
          1913 webster

   5. same as cat o' nine tails; as, british sailors feared
      the cat.
      1913 webster + wordnet 1.5

   6. a catamaran.
      pjc

   angora cat, blind cat, see under angora, blind.

   black cat the fisher. see under black.

   cat and dog, like a cat and dog; quarrelsome; inharmonious.
      "i am sure we have lived a cat and dog life of it."
      --coleridge.

   cat block naut., a heavy iron-strapped block with a large
      hook, part of the tackle used in drawing an anchor up to
      the cathead.

   cat hook naut., a strong hook attached to a cat block.

   cat nap, a very short sleep. colloq.

   cat o' nine tails, an instrument of punishment consisting
      of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a
      handle; -- formerly used to flog offenders on the bare
      back.

   cat's cradle, game played, esp. by children, with a string
      looped on the fingers so, as to resemble small cradle. the
      string is transferred from the fingers of one to those of
      another, at each transfer with a change of form. see
      cratch, cratch cradle.

   to bell the cat, to perform a very dangerous or very
      difficult task; -- taken metaphorically from a fable about
      a mouse who proposes to put a bell on a cat, so as to be
      able to hear the cat coming.

   to let the cat out of the bag, to tell a secret, carelessly
      or willfully. colloq.

   bush cat, the serval. see serval.
      1913 webster
see also:
kitten felidae felis panthera lynx felis domestica 
felis catus wild cat lynx rufus wild cat tiger cat 
angora cat maltese cat manx cat siamese cat florida panther 
tipcat cat o' nine tails catamaran blind cat angora 
blind black cat black cat and dog cat block 
cat hook cat nap cat o' nine tails cat's cradle cratch 
cratch cradle to bell the cat to let the cat out of the bag bush cat serval 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

cat's cradle
     n : a game played with string looped over the fingers

Cats Cradle >> C Words
Cats Cradle, definition of term: Cats Cradle
cats+cradle_pag1.html

Cradle >> C Words
Cradle, definition of term: Cradle
cradle_pag1.html

Cradle Cap >> C Words
Cradle Cap, definition of term: Cradle Cap
cradle+cap_pag1.html