n. & v.
n. 1 a large long-handled spoon with a cup-shaped bowl used for serving esp. soups and gravy. 2 a vessel for transporting molten metal in a foundry.
v.tr. (often foll. by out) transfer (liquid) from one receptacle to another. ladle out distribute, esp. lavishly. ladleful n. (pl. -fuls). ladler n.
[ OE hldel f. hladan LADE ]