climb (climbs plural & 3rd person present) (climbing present participle) (climbed past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you climb something such as a tree, mountain, or ladder, or climbup it, you move towards the top of it. If you climbdown it, you move towards the bottom of it.
He picked up his suitcase and climbed the stairs... V n
I told her about him climbing up the drainpipe... V up n
Kelly climbed down the ladder into the water... V down n
Children love to climb. V, Also V up/down
Climb is also a noun., n-count oft N prep
...an hour's leisurely climb through olive groves and vineyards.
2 verb If you climb somewhere, you move there carefully, for example because you are moving into a small space or trying to avoid falling.
The girls hurried outside, climbed into the car, and drove off... V prep/adv
He must have climbed out of his cot... V prep/adv
3 verb When something such as an aeroplane climbs, it moves upwards to a higher position. When the sun climbs, it moves higher in the sky.
(=rise)
The plane took off for LA, lost an engine as it climbed, and crashed just off the runway. V, Also V prep
4 verb When something climbs, it increases in value or amount.
The nation's unemployment rate has been climbing steadily since last June... V
Prices have climbed by 21% since the beginning of the year... V by amount
The FA Cup Final's audience climbed to 12.3 million... V to/from amount
Jaguar shares climbed 43 pence to 510 pence. V amount
5 →
climbing →
a mountain to climb →
mountain climb down phrasal verb If you climb down in an argument or dispute, you admit that you are wrong, or change your intentions or demands.
(=back down) If Lafontaine is forced to climb down, he may wish to reconsider his position... V P He has climbed down on pledges to reduce capital gains tax. V P on/over n
climb-down (climb-downs plural ), climbdown A climb-down in an argument or dispute is the act of admitting that you are wrong or of changing your intentions or demands. n-count
In an embarrassing climb-down, the Home Secretary lifted the deportation threat.
