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climb

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verb British English pronunciation: climb /klaɪm/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyclimb
he/she/itclimbs
present participleclimbing
past tenseclimbed
past participleclimbed
Other entries for this word
 
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to use your hands and feet to move up, over, down, or across something

    He climbed onto the roof to check the TV aerial.

    We escaped by climbing through a window.

    The barbed wire is to stop people climbing over the fence.

    climb a ladder/tree/wall:

    He climbed the ladder to get onto the roof.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
    1. a.
      to use your hands and feet to move up cliffs or mountains as a sport

      She was the third woman to climb Mount Everest.

      go climbing:

      If you go climbing you need the right boots.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
  2. 2
    [intransitive/transitive] to walk to the top of something high

    We left the road and climbed the hill towards the wood.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
    1. a.
      to walk to the top of some steps or stairs

      They had to climb ten flights of stairs because the lift was broken.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
  3. 3
    [intransitive] if a temperature, price, or the level of something climbs, it becomes higher

    Temperatures climbed into the 90s.

    Their profits climbed from £20 million to £50 million last year.

    climb steadily:

    Unemployment has climbed steadily over the past year.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
  4. 4
    [intransitive] to get into or out of something, especially by stepping to a higher or lower position

    Sara yawned as she climbed wearily into bed.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
  6. 6
    [intransitive/transitive] to move to a higher level in your job or social position

    people who climb to the top of their profession

    climb the career/social ladder:

    He began working at eighteen, determined to climb the career ladder.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb
    1. a.
      to achieve a high position in a list or competition
      climb to:

      The book climbed steadily to number one on the New York Times bestseller list.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of climb

phrase

phrasal verbs

This is the British English definition of climb. View American English definition of climb.

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