cage

 
Pronunciation: /keɪdʒ/

noun

  • a structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined: she kept a canary in a cage figurative his cage of loneliness
  • a prison cell or camp: inside the cage, three handcuffed prisoners were fighting each cage had a commanding officer who acted on behalf of the prisoners
  • an open framework forming the compartment in a lift: we passed the lift shafts, each with its rattling metal cage
  • a structure of crossing bars or wires designed to hold or support something: the bottle slots into a light cage on the bike’s frame
  • Baseball a portable backstop situated behind the batter during batting practice.
  • a soccer or hockey goal made from a network frame.

verb

[with object]
  • confine in a cage: the parrot screamed, furious at being caged (as adjective caged) a caged bird
  • informal put in prison: five more teenage thugs were caged yesterday

Origin:

Middle English: via Old French from Latin cavea