cradle

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 a small bed for a baby which can be pushed gently from side to side: She rocked the baby to sleep in its cradle. 2 [usuallysing.] ~ of sth the place where sth important began: Greece, the cradle of Western civilization 3 (BrE) a small platform that can be moved up and down the outside of a high building, used by people cleaning windows, etc. 4 the part of a telephone on which the RECEIVER rests IDIOMS from the cradle to the grave a way of referring to the whole of a person's life, from birth until death verb [VN] to hold sb/sth gently in your arms or hands: The old man cradled the tiny baby in his arms.