First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
scaffold
noun scaf·fold \ˈska-fəld also -ˌfōld\
: a temporary or movable platform or structure on which a person stands or sits while working high above the floor or ground
: a platform or structure on which criminals are killed by being hanged or beheaded
Full Definition of SCAFFOLD
1
a : a temporary or movable platform for workers (as bricklayers, painters, or miners) to stand or sit on when working at a height above the floor or ground b : a platform on which a criminal is executed (as by hanging or beheading) c : a platform at a height above ground or floor level
2
: a supporting framework
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Origin of SCAFFOLD
Middle English, from Anglo-French scaffald, alteration of Old French eschaafauz, escafaut, alteration of chaafaut, from Vulgar Latin *catafalicum — more at catafalque
Rhymes with SCAFFOLD
acold, age-old, ahold, all told, behold, bifold, billfold, black gold, blindfold, blue mold, bread mold, choke hold, controlled, Cotswold, cuckold, eightfold, enfold, fanfold, fivefold, fool's gold, foothold, fourfold, freehold, gatefold, go gold, green mold, handhold, head cold, household, ice-cold, infold, knock cold, leaf mold, leasehold, make bold, ninefold, old gold, onefold, on hold, pinfold, potholed, roothold, sheepfold, sixfold, slime mold, stokehold, stone-cold, stronghold, take hold, tenfold, threefold, threshold, toehold, twice-told, twofold, unfold, unmold, untold, uphold, white gold, whole-souled, withhold
SCAFFOLD Defined for Kids
scaffold
noun scaf·fold \ˈska-fəld\
Definition of SCAFFOLD for Kids
1
: a raised platform built as a support for workers and their tools and materials
2
: a platform on which executions take place
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