noun
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a boat, propelled by oars or a motor, used for rescuing people at sea, escaping from a sinking ship, etc
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informal a fund set up by the dealers in a market to rescue any member who may become insolvent as a result of a collapse in market prices
Etymology
Origin of lifeboat
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.
But, for some, the end will be deferred after a compromise deal was struck that gives a select few a chance to board what one outgoing peer called the "hereditary lifeboat".
From BBC
In February, The Australian reported on the discovery of oceangoing lifeboats on an Indonesian beach, lifeboats purchased by the Australian government just a month earlier.
From Salon
Four crew members were rescued by lifeboat and HM Coastguard said the vessel remained aground and the responsibility of its owner.
From BBC
He had been wrecked there, too, at sea in a lifeboat for two days before being rescued.
From Literature
A major operation was launched involving HM Coastguard, lifeboats and helicopters after calls to the emergency services at about 15:00 GMT on 2 January.
From BBC
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.
