"lifeline" meaning in English

See lifeline in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/ Audio: en-GB-lifeline.ogg Forms: lifelines [plural]
enPR: līfʹlīn' Etymology: From life + line. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|life|line}} life + line Head templates: {{en-noun}} lifeline (plural lifelines)
  1. A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling. Translations (line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling): спасително въже (spasitelno vǎže) [neuter] (Bulgarian), pelastusköysi (Finnish), Rettungsleine [feminine] (German), téad sábhála [masculine] (Irish), líne tharrthála [feminine] (Irish), linia ratownicza [feminine] (Polish), livlina [common-gender] (Swedish), rhaff achub [feminine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-E0aLvx-I Categories (other): English alliterative compounds, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Irish translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Welsh translations Disambiguation of English alliterative compounds: 28 5 9 9 18 11 20 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 27 4 7 11 17 15 19 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 5 6 8 10 9 33 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 34 6 6 10 10 11 22 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 39 3 4 10 13 10 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 26 6 9 8 13 18 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 31 5 7 9 12 14 21 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 30 7 9 8 13 13 21 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 30 5 8 10 13 11 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 29 5 7 8 11 16 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 30 6 8 9 12 15 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations: 41 2 5 10 11 10 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 33 6 8 8 11 14 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 33 5 7 9 13 11 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 32 5 7 9 12 14 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Welsh translations: 32 6 8 9 13 11 21 Disambiguation of 'line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling': 83 1 1 2 7 3 3
  2. (by extension) A source of salvation in a crisis. Tags: broadly Translations (means of salvation in a crisis): oljenkorsi (Finnish), bouée de sauvetage [feminine] (French), rhaff achub [feminine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-xc9885Gx Disambiguation of 'means of salvation in a crisis': 3 65 17 2 2 3 7
  3. A means or route for transporting indispensable supplies. Translations (means or route for transporting indispensable supplies): elämänlanka (Finnish), cordon ombilical [figuratively, masculine] (French), Lebensader [feminine] (German), livslinje [feminine, masculine] (Norwegian Bokmål), livslinje [feminine] (Norwegian Nynorsk)
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-MOutm7bW Disambiguation of 'means or route for transporting indispensable supplies': 1 2 86 2 4 4 2
  4. (engineering) A system or structure of vital importance to a community. Categories (topical): Engineering Translations (system of vital importance): elintärkeä järjestelmä (Finnish)
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-c~rU0fwr Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences Disambiguation of 'system of vital importance': 1 2 1 91 1 2 2
  5. (nautical) On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas. Categories (topical): Nautical Synonyms: jackstay Translations (safety line on the deck of a boat): elämänlanka (Finnish), ligne de vie [feminine] (French), életvonal (Hungarian), спаса́тельный трос (spasátelʹnyj tros) [masculine] (Russian), livlina [common-gender] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-0~8C~WQ1 Categories (other): Terms with Irish translations Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 29 5 7 8 11 16 23 Topics: nautical, transport Disambiguation of 'safety line on the deck of a boat': 3 3 2 5 76 10 0
  6. (underwater diving) A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point. Categories (topical): Underwater diving Synonyms: tether
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-DaeK67MF Categories (other): Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Irish translations Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 17 9 9 13 16 22 15 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 29 5 7 8 11 16 23 Topics: diving, hobbies, lifestyle, sports, underwater-diving
  7. (palmistry) A particular crease in the palm. Categories (topical): Palmistry Synonyms: line of life
    Sense id: en-lifeline-en-noun-xQXBqpaD Categories (other): Entries with translation boxes, Terms with Irish translations Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 29 5 6 8 10 9 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 29 5 7 8 11 16 23
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: life-line, life line

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "ja",
            "2": "ライフライン",
            "bor": "1",
            "tr": "raifurain"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Japanese: ライフライン (raifurain)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Japanese: ライフライン (raifurain)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "life",
        "3": "line"
      },
      "expansion": "life + line",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From life + line.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lifelines",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "lifeline (plural lifelines)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "28 5 9 9 18 11 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English alliterative compounds",
          "parents": [
            "Alliterative compounds",
            "Alliterative phrases",
            "Compound terms",
            "Phrases",
            "Terms by etymology",
            "Lemmas",
            "Multiword terms"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 4 7 11 17 15 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 6 8 10 9 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "34 6 6 10 10 11 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "39 3 4 10 13 10 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 6 9 8 13 18 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 5 7 9 12 14 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 7 9 8 13 13 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 5 8 10 13 11 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 7 8 11 16 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 6 8 9 12 15 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "41 2 5 10 11 10 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 6 8 8 11 14 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 5 7 9 13 11 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 5 7 9 12 14 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 6 8 9 13 11 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Welsh translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-E0aLvx-I",
      "links": [
        [
          "line",
          "line"
        ],
        [
          "drowning",
          "drowning"
        ],
        [
          "victim",
          "victim"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "spasitelno vǎže",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "спасително въже"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "word": "pelastusköysi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Rettungsleine"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "téad sábhála"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "líne tharrthála"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "linia ratownicza"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "livlina"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 1 1 2 7 3 3",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "rhaff achub"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012, Melissa Rycroft, My Reality, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:",
          "text": "The girls, of course, were my lifeline during this time.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Aaron Dixon, My People Are Rising, Haymarket Books, →ISBN, page 64:",
          "text": "Slowly I began to fill up some of the emptiness inside—writing had become my lifeline.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 May 1, Mel Holley, “Network News: Elizabeth line '345s' offer a lifeline for Derby Works”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 8:",
          "text": "The Government has thrown a lifeline to Alstom's Derby Works, with an offer of an order for ten Class 345 nine-car electric multiple units (EMUs) for the Elizabeth line - but only if the 'price is right'.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A source of salvation in a crisis."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-xc9885Gx",
      "links": [
        [
          "source",
          "source"
        ],
        [
          "salvation",
          "salvation"
        ],
        [
          "crisis",
          "crisis"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) A source of salvation in a crisis."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 65 17 2 2 3 7",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
          "word": "oljenkorsi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 65 17 2 2 3 7",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bouée de sauvetage"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 65 17 2 2 3 7",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "rhaff achub"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012, Daniel F. Harrington, Berlin on the Brink, University Press of Kentucky, →ISBN, page 9:",
          "text": "Planners did not see the access routes as west Berlin's sole lifeline, which now seems instinctive to us.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 50:",
          "text": "It is no real surprise that half the UK's stations and 5,000 miles of route were recommended to close. Nevertheless, some great mistakes were made in Marples' devil-may-care purge that left commuters stranded and seaside resorts without a lifeline.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A means or route for transporting indispensable supplies."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-MOutm7bW",
      "links": [
        [
          "means",
          "means"
        ],
        [
          "route",
          "route"
        ],
        [
          "transport",
          "transport"
        ],
        [
          "indispensable",
          "indispensable"
        ],
        [
          "supplies",
          "supplies"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 86 2 4 4 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
          "word": "elämänlanka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 86 2 4 4 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "cordon ombilical"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 86 2 4 4 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Lebensader"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 86 2 4 4 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "livslinje"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 86 2 4 4 2",
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "livslinje"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Engineering",
          "orig": "en:Engineering",
          "parents": [
            "Applied sciences",
            "Technology",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A system or structure of vital importance to a community."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-c~rU0fwr",
      "links": [
        [
          "engineering",
          "engineering#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "system",
          "system"
        ],
        [
          "structure",
          "structure"
        ],
        [
          "vital",
          "vital"
        ],
        [
          "importance",
          "importance"
        ],
        [
          "community",
          "community"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(engineering) A system or structure of vital importance to a community."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 1 91 1 2 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "system of vital importance",
          "word": "elintärkeä järjestelmä"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Nautical",
          "orig": "en:Nautical",
          "parents": [
            "Transport",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 7 8 11 16 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-0~8C~WQ1",
      "links": [
        [
          "nautical",
          "nautical"
        ],
        [
          "deck",
          "deck"
        ],
        [
          "boat",
          "boat"
        ],
        [
          "line",
          "line"
        ],
        [
          "attach",
          "attach"
        ],
        [
          "aboard",
          "aboard"
        ],
        [
          "rough",
          "rough"
        ],
        [
          "sea",
          "sea"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(nautical) On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "jackstay"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        "nautical",
        "transport"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 3 2 5 76 10 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
          "word": "elämänlanka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 3 2 5 76 10 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "spasátelʹnyj tros",
          "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "спаса́тельный трос"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 3 2 5 76 10 0",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "livlina"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 3 2 5 76 10 0",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ligne de vie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 3 2 5 76 10 0",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
          "word": "életvonal"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Underwater diving",
          "orig": "en:Underwater diving",
          "parents": [
            "Water sports",
            "Sports",
            "Human activity",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 9 9 13 16 22 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 7 8 11 16 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-DaeK67MF",
      "links": [
        [
          "underwater",
          "underwater"
        ],
        [
          "diving",
          "diving#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "diver",
          "diver"
        ],
        [
          "tender",
          "tender"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(underwater diving) A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "tether"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        "diving",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports",
        "underwater-diving"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Palmistry",
          "orig": "en:Palmistry",
          "parents": [
            "Divination",
            "Occult",
            "Forteana",
            "Supernatural",
            "Pseudoscience",
            "Folklore",
            "Sciences",
            "Culture",
            "All topics",
            "Society",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 6 8 10 9 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 5 7 8 11 16 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A particular crease in the palm."
      ],
      "id": "en-lifeline-en-noun-xQXBqpaD",
      "links": [
        [
          "palmistry",
          "palmistry"
        ],
        [
          "palm",
          "palm"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "palmistry",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(palmistry) A particular crease in the palm."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "line of life"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "līfʹlīn'"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-GB-lifeline.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d2/En-GB-lifeline.ogg/En-GB-lifeline.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/En-GB-lifeline.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "life-line"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "life line"
    }
  ],
  "word": "lifeline"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English alliterative compounds",
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Irish translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Welsh translations"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "ja",
            "2": "ライフライン",
            "bor": "1",
            "tr": "raifurain"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Japanese: ライフライン (raifurain)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Japanese: ライフライン (raifurain)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "life",
        "3": "line"
      },
      "expansion": "life + line",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From life + line.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lifelines",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "lifeline (plural lifelines)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "line",
          "line"
        ],
        [
          "drowning",
          "drowning"
        ],
        [
          "victim",
          "victim"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012, Melissa Rycroft, My Reality, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:",
          "text": "The girls, of course, were my lifeline during this time.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Aaron Dixon, My People Are Rising, Haymarket Books, →ISBN, page 64:",
          "text": "Slowly I began to fill up some of the emptiness inside—writing had become my lifeline.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 May 1, Mel Holley, “Network News: Elizabeth line '345s' offer a lifeline for Derby Works”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 8:",
          "text": "The Government has thrown a lifeline to Alstom's Derby Works, with an offer of an order for ten Class 345 nine-car electric multiple units (EMUs) for the Elizabeth line - but only if the 'price is right'.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A source of salvation in a crisis."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "source",
          "source"
        ],
        [
          "salvation",
          "salvation"
        ],
        [
          "crisis",
          "crisis"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) A source of salvation in a crisis."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2012, Daniel F. Harrington, Berlin on the Brink, University Press of Kentucky, →ISBN, page 9:",
          "text": "Planners did not see the access routes as west Berlin's sole lifeline, which now seems instinctive to us.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 50:",
          "text": "It is no real surprise that half the UK's stations and 5,000 miles of route were recommended to close. Nevertheless, some great mistakes were made in Marples' devil-may-care purge that left commuters stranded and seaside resorts without a lifeline.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A means or route for transporting indispensable supplies."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "means",
          "means"
        ],
        [
          "route",
          "route"
        ],
        [
          "transport",
          "transport"
        ],
        [
          "indispensable",
          "indispensable"
        ],
        [
          "supplies",
          "supplies"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Engineering"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A system or structure of vital importance to a community."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "engineering",
          "engineering#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "system",
          "system"
        ],
        [
          "structure",
          "structure"
        ],
        [
          "vital",
          "vital"
        ],
        [
          "importance",
          "importance"
        ],
        [
          "community",
          "community"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(engineering) A system or structure of vital importance to a community."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Nautical"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "nautical",
          "nautical"
        ],
        [
          "deck",
          "deck"
        ],
        [
          "boat",
          "boat"
        ],
        [
          "line",
          "line"
        ],
        [
          "attach",
          "attach"
        ],
        [
          "aboard",
          "aboard"
        ],
        [
          "rough",
          "rough"
        ],
        [
          "sea",
          "sea"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(nautical) On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "jackstay"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        "nautical",
        "transport"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Underwater diving"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "underwater",
          "underwater"
        ],
        [
          "diving",
          "diving#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "diver",
          "diver"
        ],
        [
          "tender",
          "tender"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(underwater diving) A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "tether"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        "diving",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports",
        "underwater-diving"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Palmistry"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A particular crease in the palm."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "palmistry",
          "palmistry"
        ],
        [
          "palm",
          "palm"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "palmistry",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(palmistry) A particular crease in the palm."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "line of life"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "līfʹlīn'"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-GB-lifeline.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d2/En-GB-lifeline.ogg/En-GB-lifeline.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/En-GB-lifeline.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "life-line"
    },
    {
      "word": "life line"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "spasitelno vǎže",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "спасително въже"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "word": "pelastusköysi"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Rettungsleine"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "téad sábhála"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "líne tharrthála"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "linia ratownicza"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "livlina"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "rhaff achub"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
      "word": "oljenkorsi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bouée de sauvetage"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "means of salvation in a crisis",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "rhaff achub"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
      "word": "elämänlanka"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
      "tags": [
        "figuratively",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "cordon ombilical"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Lebensader"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "livslinje"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "means or route for transporting indispensable supplies",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "livslinje"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "system of vital importance",
      "word": "elintärkeä järjestelmä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
      "word": "elämänlanka"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "spasátelʹnyj tros",
      "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "спаса́тельный трос"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "livlina"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ligne de vie"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "safety line on the deck of a boat",
      "word": "életvonal"
    }
  ],
  "word": "lifeline"
}

Download raw JSONL data for lifeline meaning in English (8.4kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/2530",
  "msg": "skipping string in the middle of translations: </table></div></div>\n\n",
  "path": [
    "lifeline"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "lifeline",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "page/2517",
  "msg": "UNIMPLEMENTED parse_translation_template: trans-top-see {1: '(palmistry) crease in the palm', 2: 'line of life'}",
  "path": [
    "lifeline",
    "Template:trans-top-see",
    "TEMPLATE_FN"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "lifeline",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.