rip cord

noun

a cord on a parachute that, when pulled, opens the parachute for descent.
a cord fastened in the bag of a passenger balloon or dirigible so that a sharp pull upon it will rip or open the bag and let the gas escape, causing the balloon to descend rapidly.

First recorded in 1905–10

Then Jimmy saw him reach for the rip-cord, grasp the metal ring, and give it a sharp jerk.

At any rate he cut off thinking about other things and gave the rip-cord ring a smart jerk.

"So I did pull my rip cord ring," Dawson breathed, as memory of those weird crazy moments between life and death came back to him.

That being the case, the sooner he pulled the rip cord on the second chute, the better off he would be.

He counted up to twenty, then tightened his grip on the rip-cord ring and jerked it hard.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse