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Synonyms

life belt

American  

noun

  1. a beltlike life preserver.

life belt British  

noun

  1. a ring filled with buoyant material or air, used to keep a person afloat when in danger of drowning

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of life belt

First recorded in 1855–60

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.

As they approached England, the soldiers, fearing torpedoes from German submarines, slept in their clothes and life belts, full canteens by their sides.

From The Wall Street Journal

Doors, chairs and a piece of a mast with a life belt attached that read “Tampa” were later found floating in the water.

From Washington Post

“Yes,” said Doge, clutching at Harry’s question like a drowning man at a life belt.

From Literature

Dr. Malone felt like a drowning sailor being thrown a life belt.

From Literature

Swimmers helped migrants into life belts and pulled them toward the patrol boat.

From Time

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.