Cage
/keɪdʒ/
nounverbA2
Definition
A cage is usually a box made of metal bars or wire where animals are kept so they cannot escape. People use cages to protect animals or to keep them in a safe place. As a verb, "to cage" means to put an animal or person inside a cage or to trap them so they cannot move freely.
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⚡ See It in Action
A container made of bars or wire to hold animals or objects
- •The bird flew inside its cage every evening.
- •The zoo has many cages for different animals.
- •He cleaned the cage where his hamster lives.
To put an animal or person inside a cage; to trap or confine
- •They caged the lion carefully before moving it.
- •The farmer caged the chickens at night to keep them safe.
- •She felt caged by her strict rules and longed for freedom.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "cage" like "box," but with open bars so you can see inside and outside
- ✓Picture a bird cage with small metal bars and a little door that can open and close
- ✓It's the feeling of being stuck or locked in a small space, like when you want to go outside but cannot
- ✓Sounds like "cage" → imagine a "key" trying to open a locked door but the cage is closed tight
- ✓In stories, cages often hold animals or sometimes magical creatures that cannot escape
- ✓NOT like "room" (closed with walls and doors), a cage is open and made of bars so you can see through it
- ✓NOT like "prison" (a large place for people), a cage is smaller and often for animals or small things
- ✓NOT like "trap" (hidden or sudden), a cage is usually visible and a clear container holding something
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Pen: a small enclosed area for animals (Use when the enclosure is larger and usually on the ground, like for farm animals)
- •Enclosure: an area surrounded by a fence or wall (Use when talking about bigger spaces, not small metal cages)
- •Trap: a device to catch animals (Use when the goal is to catch suddenly, not to keep them in a permanent cage)
- •Cell: a small room in a prison (Use when talking about people locked up, not animals)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) — "cage" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old French "cage," meaning a cage or enclosure, from Late Latin "cavea" meaning "a hollow, cage"
- •Historical development: Originally used for animal enclosures, the word has kept its meaning for hundreds of years
- •Modern usage: Used for animal containers, and also as a verb meaning to trap or confine; also used metaphorically to describe feeling trapped
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How do you feel when you imagine being inside a cage? Can this feeling help you understand the word better?
•Can you think of situations where a "cage" is useful or necessary, and when it might be unfair or harmful?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The zookeeper put the tiger inside the cage to ___ it safely.
2.Birds need space, so a cage that is too small can make them feel ___ and unhappy.
3.Unlike a closed room, a cage is made of bars that let you ___ inside and outside.
4.When someone says they feel caged, they usually mean they feel ___ or stuck.
5.The hamster runs on a wheel inside its cage to get ___.
6.To keep animals safe at night, farmers often ___ them in a cage or pen.
7.A cage is different from a trap because a cage is usually ___ and used for holding, not just catching.