emergency brake
Americannoun
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Also called parking brake. a special brake used to prevent a motor vehicle from rolling after it has stopped or been parked.
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any brake meant to stop a vehicle in an emergency.
Etymology
Origin of emergency brake
First recorded in 1895–1900
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While the move raises ethical questions — users receive money they may not immediately repay — consumer advocates say it can function as an emergency brake for people who have borrowed more than they can realistically afford.
From MarketWatch
The Northeast Frontier Railway says the train driver spotted dozens of elephants and used the emergency brakes - but some animals were still hit.
From BBC
"The loco pilot, on observing the herd of elephants, applied emergency brakes. However, elephants dashed with the train," he said.
From Barron's
After seeing Jaiden start to cross the railway, the driver sounded the horn and applied the emergency brake.
From BBC
The emergency brake system, which the driver correctly tried to apply when the cable snapped, did not function properly and was never tested in advance, the report said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
