ETYM AS. cradel, cradol, prob. from Celtic; cf. Gael. creathall, Irish craidhal, W. cryd a shaking or rocking, a cradle; perh. akin to Eng. crate.
1. A baby's bed with sides and rockers.
2. Birth of a person.

1. To hold gently and carefully.
2. To rock or place in or as if in a cradle; SYN. rock.
3. To bring up from infancy.
4. To cut grain with a cradle scythe.
5. To run with the stick, in the sport of lacrosse.
6. To wash in a cradle (said of gold).

A receptacle used to recharge the batteries in some handheld or palm-size PCs or PDAs (personal digital assistants). Some cradles also serve as a means to connect these smaller devices with a desktop PC. Not all of these devices require a cradle to recharge or connect to a desktop system. Also called: dock, docking station.