drownproofing

American

[droun-proo-fing] / ˈdraʊnˌpru fɪŋ /

noun

a survival technique, for swimmers or nonswimmers, in which the body is allowed to float vertically in the water, with the head submerged, the lungs filled with air, and the arms and legs relaxed, the head being raised to breathe every ten seconds or so.

Etymology

Origin of drownproofing

1965–70; drown + -proof + -ing ¹, modeled on waterproofing, etc.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Although we have no "drownproofing" course, we do have an annual climb out of the Grand Canyon and hold an unofficial record of one hour and 35 minutes for the climb.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023