View synonyms for

lifeboat

[ lahyf-boht ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a double-ended ship's boat, constructed, mounted, and provisioned so as to be readily able to rescue and maintain persons from a sinking vessel.
a similarly constructed boat used by shore-based rescue services.

lifeboat

/ ˈ��ɪ��ˌ��əʊ�� /

noun

a boat, propelled by oars or a motor, used for rescuing people at sea, escaping from a sinking ship, etc
informal.
a fund set up by the dealers in a market to rescue any member who may become insolvent as a result of a collapse in market prices

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Word History and Origins

Origin of lifeboat¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; life + boat

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The search on Sunday will continue with the help of a helicopter from Waterford and a Dunmore lifeboat.

From

Gold is in "full lifeboat mode" as it has become "the most crowded trade on the planet," Stephen Innes from the SPI Asset Management firm said.

From

"They kept the lights and the power working to the end, to give the crew time to launch the lifeboats safely with some light instead of in absolute darkness," he told the BBC.

From

Then he was saved by a lifeboat after being a victim of a shipwreck.

From

A "barely conscious" man has been rescued from Loch Lomond after a lifeboat crew heard his cries for help.

From

Related Words

lifeblood lifeboatman

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