climb
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to move toward the top of something by using your hands and feet.
v.to ascend an object or terrain by using the hands and feet for traction.
Simple“The children love to climb the old oak tree in the backyard.”
In context“The rescue team had to climb the sheer rock face in near-total darkness to reach the stranded hikers before the storm arrived.”
UsageOften used with 'up' or as a transitive verb taking a direct object like 'stairs' or 'mountain'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to go up in amount, price, or position.
v.to rise to a higher point, intensity, or rank.
Simple“Temperatures are expected to climb to thirty degrees this afternoon.”
In context“Stock prices continued to climb steadily throughout the fiscal quarter, buoyed by unexpectedly strong consumer spending data.”
UsageIntransitive; often followed by 'to' and a specific number or level.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.of a plant, to grow upward by attaching itself to a wall or fence.
v.to grow upwards by clinging to a support structure via tendrils or twining stems.
Simple“Ivy started to climb the side of the house, covering the bricks in green.”
In context“The gardener installed a wooden trellis to encourage the clematis to climb toward the sunlight.”
UsageIntransitive in this botanical sense.
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a journey or a period of time spent moving upward.
n.an instance of ascending, or a route that requires upward movement.
Simple“It was a long, difficult climb to the top of the hill, but the view was worth it.”
In context“The final climb to the summit proved exhausting for the amateur expedition, as the thinning air made every step a struggle.”
From Middle English climben, from Old English climban (“to climb”), from Proto-West Germanic klimban, from Proto-Germanic klimbaną (“to climb, go up by clinging”), believed to be a nasalised variant of Proto-Germanic klibaną, klibāną (“to stick, cleave”), from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (“to stick”). Cognate with West Frisian klimme (“to climb”), Dutch klimmen (“to climb”), German klimmen (“to climb”), Old Norse klembra (“to squeeze”), Icelandic klifra (“to climb”). Related to clamber. See also clay, glue.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.