lifeline
pronunciation
How to pronounce lifeline in British English:
UK [ˈlaɪflaɪn]
How to pronounce lifeline in American English:
US [ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn]
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- Noun:
- a crease on the palm; its length is said by palmists to indicate how long you will live
- support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something (often by providing an essential connection)
- line that raises or lowers a deep-sea diver
- line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning
Word Origin
- lifeline (n.)
- also life-line, 1700, "rope used somehow to save lives," from life (n.) + line (n.); figurative sense first attested 1860. Sense in palmistry from 1890.
Example
- 1. The lifeline gave rise to a high-technology life underground .
- 2. It 's no exaggeration to say china today represents north korea 's lifeline .
- 3. Moreover , chinese trade and investment is a lifeline for the north korean economy .
- 4. Pakistan reckons it is owed around $ 2 billion , a much-needed financial lifeline .
- 5. For mr meikle , buying a failed business was a lifeline .