parachute English · revision 857

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpæɹəʃuːt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpæɹəʃut/, /ˈpɛɹəʃut/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|parachute|t=that which protects against a fall]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a hybrid coined by the French aeronaut François Blanchard,^(Etymonline) from ''para-'' “protection against”, as in ''parasol'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and [[fr|chute|t=a fall]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A device for descending safely from a great height, especially from a balloon (1785 in the OED, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster; 1784, the year of the first attempted use in Paris, in Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was extended to any contrivance that checks a fall through the air, such as the downy seed of a dandelion (1796),^(OED 1989) and to devices in mining and watchmaking that prevent damaging shocks (1881–84).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) The verb, “to descend or convey by parachute”, dates from 1807,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and was marked rare in 1895 but became common in the 20th century.^(Etymonline) In modern use it also means to appoint an outsider to a position over the heads of existing staff (1954).^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1784 – the first attempted use, in Paris.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1785 – the device.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1796 – any natural or artificial device that checks a fall.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1807 – verb, to descend by parachute.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1888 – ''parachutist''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1954 – verb, to appoint an outsider.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A device of light fabric that opens like an umbrella to slow the fall of a person or object dropped from an aircraft.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of various similar devices for slowing motion, such as a brake parachute.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(zoology)'' A [[patagium]], the skin flap of gliding animals.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To descend by parachute.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To drop (supplies or troops) by parachute.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To place (someone) in a position from outside the existing hierarchy.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[parachutist]]

+ * [[chute]]

+ * [[golden parachute]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[parasol]]

+ * [[parapet]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}