English▸ noun a structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined:
she kept a canary in a cage
his cage of loneliness figurative.
▪ a prison cell or camp:
inside the cage, three handcuffed prisoners were fighting
each cage had a commanding officer who acted on behalf of the prisoners.
▪ an open framework forming the compartment in a lift:
we passed the lift shafts, each with its rattling metal cage.
▪ a structure of crossing bars or wires designed to hold or support something:
the bottle slots into a light cage on the bike's frame.
▪ Baseball a portable backstop situated behind the batter during batting practice.
▪ a soccer or hockey goal made from a network frame.
▸ verb [with object] confine in a cage:
the parrot screamed, furious at being caged.
▪ informal put in prison:
five more teenage louts were caged yesterday.
– ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from Latin cavea.