# cage

/ˈkeɪdʒ/ (US) · /kˈeɪdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cage
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. animal enclosure

noun · CEFR A2

a box or space made of wire or metal bars used to keep animals or birds inside.

For teachers: an enclosure consisting of spaced bars or wire mesh, designed to confine animals while allowing for visibility and ventilation.

- The parrot spent most of the day inside its cage by the window.
- Conservationists argue that the zoo's primate cage is far too small to provide an adequate environment for such intelligent creatures.

### 2. limiting freedom

noun · CEFR B2

a place or situation that makes you feel trapped or stops you from being free.

For teachers: a figurative state of confinement or restriction that inhibits personal or creative agency.

- He felt that his high-paying office job had become a golden cage.
- The artist described her strict upbringing as a cage that prevented her from exploring her true potential for years.

### 3. lift compartment

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the part of an elevator or lift that people stand in.

For teachers: the enclosed passenger or freight compartment of a lift or hoist mechanism.

- The miners stepped into the iron cage to be lowered into the shaft.
- Safety regulations require the lift cage to be inspected monthly for structural integrity and cable wear.

### 4. sports goal

noun · CEFR B2

the goal area in sports like ice hockey or lacrosse.

For teachers: the goal structure in specific field or ice sports, typically consisting of a frame and netting.

- The puck flew past the goalie and straight into the back of the cage.
- The striker managed to find a gap in the defense and fired the ball into the cage to secure the win.

### 5. to confine

verb · CEFR B1

to put an animal or a person in a cage or to keep them trapped.

For teachers: to confine within a cage or to restrict movement and liberty as if by a physical barrier.

- It is cruel to cage wild animals that are used to roaming free.
- The regime attempted to cage the opposition by restricting their access to public media and freezing their bank accounts.

### 6. to track mail responses

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · American English

to record and organize information from people who reply to advertisements or political mail.

For teachers: to process and track individual responses to direct mail for the purpose of database management or voter verification.

- The campaign team had to cage the thousands of letters they received each week.
- The legality of caging lists has been a subject of intense debate in recent election cycles regarding voter suppression concerns.

## Examples

- The bird escaped from its cage when the door was left open.
- The zookeeper cleaned the lion's cage while the animal was safely secured in the indoor enclosure.
- The protagonist felt that his high-paying corporate job was merely a gilded cage, offering luxury and status while stripping away his personal freedom and creative spark.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.