jacob's ladder

2 definitions found

jacob's ladder - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Jacob \Ja"cob\, n. [Cf. F. Jacob. See 2d Jack.]
     A Hebrew patriarch (son of Isaac, and ancestor of the Jews),
     who in a vision saw a ladder reaching up to heaven (--Gen.
     xxviii. 12); -- also called Israel.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And Jacob said . . . with my staff I passed over this
           Jordan, and now I am become two bands.   --Gen. xxxii.
                                                    9, 10.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.
                                                    --Gen. xxxii.
                                                    28.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Jacob's ladder.
     (a) (Bot.) A perennial herb of the genus Polemonium
         (Polemonium c[oe]ruleum), having corymbs of drooping   flowers, usually blue. Gray
         .
     (b) (Naut.) A rope ladder, with wooden steps, for going
         aloft. --R. H. Dana, Jr.
     (c) (Naut.) A succession of short cracks in a defective spar.
         
  
     Jacob's membrane. See Retina.
  
     Jacob's staff.
     (a) A name given to many forms of staff or weapon, especially
         in the Middle Ages; a pilgrim's staff. [Obs.] --Spenser.
     (b) (Surveying) See under Staff.
         [1913 Webster]

jacob's ladder - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Jacob's ladder
      n 1: pinnate-leaved European perennial having bright blue or
           white flowers [syn: Jacob's ladder, Greek valerian,
           charity, Polemonium caeruleum, Polemonium van- bruntiae
           , Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae]
      2: (nautical) a hanging ladder of ropes or chains supporting
         wooden or metal rungs or steps [syn: Jacob's ladder, jack   ladder
         , pilot ladder]