lifebelt
lifebelt — noun
- lifebeltsingular
- lifebeltsplural
1. A ring-shaped device that stays on the water's surface and is thrown to a person
A ring-shaped device that stays on the water's surface and is thrown to a person who has fallen in, so they can grip it and stay afloat until rescue arrives.
The ferry crew threw a lifebelt to the passenger who had fallen overboard.
throw + lifebelt + to + person — typical rescue pattern
Every ship must carry enough lifebelts for all passengers and crew members.
When the boat capsized, Quan grabbed a lifebelt and kicked toward the shore.
Nikhil showed the children how to hold onto the lifebelt without letting go.
- lifebuoy
a ring-shaped flotation device, often attached to a rope; used interchangeably with lifebelt in British English
- life preserver
the common American English term; can refer to rings, vests, or any flotation aid
用法筆記
Common in maritime and water-safety contexts. In American English, 'life preserver' or 'lifebuoy' is more frequently used for the ring-shaped device.
常見錯誤
2. A belt filled with air or light material that is fastened around the waist or to
A belt filled with air or light material that is fastened around the waist or torso to help a person float in water.
Swimmers training for the channel crossing wore lifebelts around their waists for safety.
worn around the waist
The lifebelt inflated automatically as soon as Tendai entered the salt water.
collocation: inflatable lifebelt
Salma fastened the lifebelt under her arms before jumping into the lake.
Modern foam-filled lifebelts are much thinner and more comfortable than the old bulky rings.
- swim belt
a simpler term used for practice belts in swimming pools, not for emergency rescue
- float belt
descriptive but less common in everyday language
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (FLOATING RING): a buoyant belt is worn around the waist or torso rather than being held or thrown.
3. A strong belt or strap that holds a person safely in a seat or against a surface
A strong belt or strap that holds a person safely in a seat or against a surface, used to prevent injury from falling or sudden movement.
The construction workers clipped their lifebelts to the safety cable before stepping onto the beam.
clipped to a safety cable — construction safety context
His lifebelt clipped to the roof anchor, the window cleaner washed the windows safely.
lifebelt clipped to an anchor point — working at height safety context
Scaffold workers must inspect their lifebelts for frayed straps before starting work at height.
Mei-Lin adjusted her lifebelt and clipped the lanyard to the cable over the warehouse floor.
- seatbelt
the standard term for a vehicle safety restraint; far more common than lifebelt in this sense
- safety harness
a full-body system of straps, not limited to a single belt
用法筆記
This sense is uncommon; 'seatbelt' or 'safety harness' is the preferred term in modern British English. 'Lifebelt' in this sense appears mainly in industrial, motorsport, and older safety literature.