life car

American  

noun

1. a watertight container used in marine rescue operations, suspended from a hawser and hauled back and forth between a stranded or wrecked vessel and the shore.

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Etymology

Origin of life car

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Example Sentences

“I love racing and I love business, that’s all I’ve ever done my entire life. Car business and race car business before and after college,” Hawk said.

From Seattle Times

I've experienced some scary things in my life — car crashes, hurricanes, William Shatner singing.

From Los Angeles Times

In real life, car speeds in the country’s 45 major cities last year averaged 29.6 kilometers an hour, according to Chinese online map purveyor AutoNavi Software Co., slowing to 26 kilometers an hour during rush hour.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bush converted to Catholicism when he got married 20 years ago, and regularly cited church teachings when he was Florida governor – even enacting a law to introduce anti-abortion “Choose Life” car license plates.

From The Guardian

The Huronic carried two hundred passengers and as it was impossible for any boat to get alongside of her to take them off, they all had to be taken ashore in the breeches-buoy or the life car.

From Project Gutenberg