life-jacket

A child wears a bright orange life-jacket on a boat.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A flotation device: A "life-jacket" is a sleeveless garment made of buoyant material, designed to keep a person afloat in water, typically used for safety on boats or in emergency situations.

Usage Examples

• (A safety garment to prevent drowning.)
• (A flotation device for a young person.)

Advanced Usage

• "to put on a life-jacket": to don the garment for safety.

  • Before the storm hit, the crew instructed everyone to put on their life-jacket. (To wear the flotation device as a precaution.)

• "life-jacket drill": a practice exercise for using life-jackets.

  • The flight attendants demonstrated the life-jacket drill before takeoff. (A safety demonstration for emergency flotation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Life-jacket (n): the standard spelling, often hyphenated.

  • He grabbed his life-jacket from under the seat. (The flotation garment.)

• Life vest (n): a synonym for life-jacket, commonly used in aviation.

  • The pilot checked that each seat had a life vest. (An alternative term for the same device.)

• Life preserver (n): a broader term for any flotation device, including life-jackets and life rings.

  • The ship had life preservers stored in every cabin. (General term for safety flotation equipment.)

Synonyms

• Flotation device: any object that helps a person stay afloat.
• Buoyancy aid: a piece of equipment that provides buoyancy in water.
• Personal flotation device (PFD): the technical term for a life-jacket or similar gear.

Related Idioms

• "life-jacket mentality": a mindset of relying on safety measures to take risks.

  • His life-jacket mentality made him ignore the storm warnings. (An over-reliance on protective gear.)

• "to throw someone a life-jacket": to offer help in a difficult situation.

  • When she lost her job, her friends threw her a life-jacket by offering financial support. (To provide assistance in a crisis.)