climbing

climbing

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Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling:

 /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/

Here's the breakdown by syllable:

• klaɪm: /klaɪm/ (as in "climb")

• ɪŋ: /ɪŋ/ (as in "ing")

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Word Form Variations

• Verb:

• Base form: climb

• Third-person singular present: climbs

• Past tense: climbed

• Present participle: climbing

• Past participle: climbed

• Noun:

• Singular: climb

• Plural: climbs

• Gerund (acting as a noun): climbing

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Verb

• Climbing (present participle of climb): The act of ascending or moving upwards, often with effort and by grasping or scaling. This can involve using hands and feet, or specialized equipment, to overcome an incline or obstacle.

• Synonyms: ascending, scaling, mounting, surmounting, scrambling, clambering

• Antonyms: descending, falling, dropping, plummeting

Noun

• Climbing (gerund): The activity or sport of ascending mountains, rocks, or other steep surfaces.

• Synonyms: mountaineering, rock climbing, bouldering, ascent

• Antonyms: descent, falling, decline

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Examples of Use

• Books: "He often recalled the relentless climbing required to reach the summit, a struggle that tested every fiber of his being." (From Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer)

• Newspapers: "The latest reports from the financial district indicate a steady climbing of interest rates, much to the concern of homeowners." ( The Wall Street Journal)

• Online Publications: "Our recent article explores the growing popularity of indoor rock climbing gyms across urban centers, offering a new way for city dwellers to stay active." ( Outside Magazine)

• Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the movie Free Solo, the documentary captures Alex Honnold's incredible feat of free solo climbing El Capitan.

• Entertainment Platforms (Video Games): Players in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild frequently engage in climbing vast cliffs and structures to reach new areas and vantage points.

• General Public Discourse: "After years of hard work, she's finally climbing the corporate ladder and is set to become a senior manager."

• General Public Discourse: "The cost of living in the city just keeps climbing, making it harder for young families to afford housing."

• Entertainment Platforms (Music): In the lyrics of a song, "We're climbing higher, reaching for the stars, leaving all our troubles far behind."

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10 Quotes Using Climbing

1. "The best views come after the hardest climbing." (Unknown)

2. "Keep climbing, because the mountain will eventually end and the view will be spectacular." (Unknown)

3. "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." (Sir Edmund Hillary, often associated with his experiences climbing Mount Everest)

4. "Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing." (Barry Finlay)

5. "When you're climbing, it's like a metaphor for life. You're always reaching for the next hold." (Alex Honnold)

6. "There is no climbing without a fall." (Proverb)

7. "I am still climbing, I am still working, I am still in love with what I do." (Marc Anthony)

8. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." (Often attributed to Winston Churchill, though not directly using "climbing," it implies the continuous effort of climbing towards goals.)

9. "You never really conquer a mountain. You just visit it. And when you're climbing, you're the closest to it." (Unknown)

10. "The higher you go, the better the view. But the climbing is tough." (Unknown)

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Etymology

The word "climbing" comes from the verb "climb," and its history goes way back!

It all started in Old English (before 1150 AD) as the word "climban." This word already meant what we understand as "to raise oneself using hands and feet, or to rise gradually."

If we go even further back, the root of "climban" is found in Proto-West Germanic as "klimban" and then in Proto-Germanic as "klimbaną," which meant "to climb, go up by clinging." It's believed this was a variation of an even older Germanic word related to "klibaną" meaning "to stick" or "to cleave."

So, at its very core, the word "climb" (and therefore "climbing") has always been connected to the idea of sticking to something and moving upwards with effort, often by using your hands and feet to grip. This original meaning of hard work and gripping to ascend is still very much present in how we use the word today.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Climbing

• Climbing the corporate ladder: Advancing in one's career or professional standing.

• Climbing the walls: Feeling extremely frustrated, anxious, or bored to the point of desperation.

• Climbing to the top: Reaching the highest level of success or achievement.

• Climbing out of a hole: Recovering from a difficult or negative situation, often financial.

• Climbing aboard: Getting onto a vehicle, or joining an effort or team.

• Climbing mountains (often figurative): Facing and overcoming significant challenges.

• The stakes are climbing: The risks or importance of a situation are increasing.

• A steep climb: A difficult or challenging task or journey.

• Ascending to new heights: Reaching higher levels of success or development.

• Scaling new peaks: Achieving new and impressive accomplishments.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of climbing from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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