a piece of equipment consisting of a series of bars or steps between two upright lengths of wood, metal, or rope, used for climbing up or down something

a vertical strip of unravelled fabric in tights or stockings

one of Sally's stockings developed a ladder

(with reference to tights or stockings) develop or cause to develop a ladder

I laddered my tights as I arrived this morning

the first time I put them on, one of the stockings laddered