noun
Meaning 1
A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
lifeline
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
līfʹlīn'
-
/ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/
-
UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
CMU ARPABET: L AY1 F L AY2 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A source of salvation in a crisis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A means or route for transporting indispensable supplies.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A system or structure of vital importance to a community.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: jackstay
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: diving, hobbies, lifestyle, sports, underwater-diving
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tether
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A particular crease in the palm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: palmistry
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: line of life
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: line
Narrower terms: ridge rope
noun
Meaning 9
line that raises or lowers a deep-sea diver
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: line
noun
Meaning 10
support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something (often by providing an essential connection)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the airlift provided a lifeline for Berlin
- she offered me a lifeline in my time of grief
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: support
noun
Meaning 11
a crease on the palm; its length is said by palmists to indicate how long you will live
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: line of life, life line
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wrinkle, furrow, crease, crinkle, seam, line
History
Etymology
From life + line.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: спасително въже (spasitelno vǎže) — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Czech: záchranné lano — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Finnish: pelastusköysi — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- German: Rettungsleine — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Irish: téad sábhála — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Irish: líne tharrthála — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Polish: linia ratownicza — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Swedish: livlina — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Welsh: rhaff achub — line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling
- Czech: záchranné lano — means of salvation in a crisis
- Finnish: oljenkorsi — means of salvation in a crisis
- French: bouée de sauvetage — means of salvation in a crisis
- French: planche de salut — means of salvation in a crisis
- German: Rettungsanker — means of salvation in a crisis
- Welsh: rhaff achub — means of salvation in a crisis
- Finnish: elämänlanka — means or route for transporting indispensable supplies
- French: cordon ombilical — means or route for transporting indispensable supplies
- German: Lebensader — means or route for transporting indispensable supplies
- Norwegian Bokmål: livslinje — means or route for transporting indispensable supplies
- Norwegian Nynorsk: livslinje — means or route for transporting indispensable supplies
- Finnish: elintärkeä järjestelmä — system of vital importance
- Finnish: elämänlanka — safety line on the deck of a boat
- Russian: спаса́тельный трос (spasátelʹnyj tros) — safety line on the deck of a boat
- Swedish: livlina — safety line on the deck of a boat
- Chinese Mandarin: 生命綫 /生命线 (shēngmìngxiàn) — (palmistry) crease in the palm
- French: ligne de vie — (palmistry) crease in the palm
- Hungarian: életvonal — (palmistry) crease in the palm
Real reading context