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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

jaws of life en · NOUN

Etymology

By analogy with an actual jaw and the fact that this mechanical device allows the possibility of preserving the life of the victim being rescued.

Meanings

  1. (plural, plural-only) Emergency rescue equipment used to open a severely damaged passenger vehicle with a strong mechanical jaw function that forcibly pushes or pulls metal components apart, to quickly and somewhat safely extricate the trapped occupants.
    • 2009, Tony Evans, Tony Evan's Book of Illustrations Even when drivers have had wrecks through no one's fault but their own, rescue crews still employ the "jaws of life" to get them out of trouble.
    • The power of the “jaws of life” were shown first and set aside. 2005, Chuck McCann, Short, Shorter and Shorter Stories, Volume 1, page 388
    • For the most terrible of car accidents, jaws of life have to be used to extricate the injured.
    • 2005, Mary Gordon, Pearl Isn't there some machine used in car wrecks to extricate people called the jaws of life?

Translations (5)

es quijadas de la vida (emergency rescue equipment) · pt abre-latas (emergency rescue equipment) · pl szczęki życia (emergency rescue equipment) · pt desencarcerador (emergency rescue equipment) · es mandíbulas de la vida (emergency rescue equipment)