cage

—cageless, adj. —cagelike, adj.

/kayj/, n., v., caged, caging.

n.

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. Ordn. a steel framework for supporting guns.

12. Mach. retainer¹ (def. 3).

v.t.

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.

[1175-1225; ME < OF < L cavea birdcage, equiv. to cav(us) hollow + -ea, fem. of -eus adj. suffix]

Syn. 1. pen, coop, enclosure, pound.

* * *