parachute
B2General, Technical
Definition
Meaning
A fabric device used to slow the descent of a person or object through the air.
Something that provides safety or security in case of a sudden problem or failure; to descend or deploy using a parachute; to enter or be appointed to a position without the usual experience or qualifications.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primary use is as a noun for the safety device. Verb usage ('to parachute in') is common in both literal and figurative contexts, often with a slightly negative connotation in business/politics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal difference in literal meaning. Figurative use in business contexts (e.g., 'parachuted into the role') is slightly more common in British media.
Connotations
Identical connotations of safety, rescue, or, in figurative use, unearned appointment.
Frequency
Slightly higher relative frequency in British English in figurative business/political contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB + parachute: deploy/open/pack a parachutePARACHUTE + NOUN: parachute jump/regiment/cordVERB: parachute + into/from/downVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Golden parachute (lucrative severance package for executives)”
- “Parachute in/into (to arrive suddenly in a situation without preparation)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Figurative: 'The new CEO was parachuted in from a rival firm.' Refers to the 'golden parachute' severance package.
Academic
Used in physics/engineering contexts re: drag, aerodynamics, and safety systems.
Everyday
Most common: referring to skydiving, military use, or emergency equipment in planes.
Technical
Specific terms: canopy, risers, deployment bag, reserve chute, static line.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The special forces unit will parachute into the zone after midnight.
- They decided to parachute the supplies to the remote village.
- He was parachuted into the troubled department as a crisis manager.
American English
- The firefighters parachuted into the forest to combat the blaze.
- We watched the stuntman parachute from the helicopter.
- The board parachuted her into the CEO role despite her lack of industry experience.
adverb
British English
- This is not a standard adverbial form. Use prepositional phrases: 'They descended parachute-style.'
American English
- This is not a standard adverbial form. Use prepositional phrases: 'The supplies arrived, in a sense, by parachute.'
adjective
British English
- The parachute regiment conducted training exercises.
- She checked her parachute harness meticulously.
American English
- The parachute club meets every weekend.
- They used parachute cord for the makeshift repair.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The pilot had a parachute.
- Look! A red parachute in the sky!
- In an emergency, passengers should use the parachute under their seat.
- He made his first parachute jump last summer.
- The aid agency plans to parachute food and medicine into the disaster area.
- His contract included a substantial golden parachute clause.
- Critics accused the government of parachuting an inexperienced candidate into a safe parliamentary seat.
- The engineer's design for a new high-altitude parachute system was groundbreaking.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a pair of shoes ('para') being carried gently by a chute ('chute') down from the sky.
Conceptual Metaphor
SAFETY IS A PARACHUTE (provides rescue from a fall); SUDDEN/UNPREPARED ARRIVAL IS PARACHUTING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'парашют' (identical noun) – the trap is in the figurative verb use, which is calqued but may sound odd in Russian if used literally for personnel appointments.
- The business term 'golden parachute' is often translated directly as 'золотой парашют', which is a correct loan translation.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'parashoot' (incorrect – nothing to do with shooting).
- Pronunciation: stressing the second syllable (/pə'ræ.ʃuːt/) is non-standard.
- Using 'parachute' as a verb without the necessary preposition (e.g., 'He parachuted the building' instead of 'He parachuted from/into the building').
Practice
Quiz
What does it mean if someone is 'parachuted into' a job?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'chute' is a common informal abbreviation, especially in contexts like 'skydiving chute' or 'emergency chute'.
Yes, it can be used literally ('to parachute from a plane') and figuratively ('to be parachuted into a management role').
It's a business term for a large financial package guaranteed to a senior executive if they lose their job due to a merger, takeover, or other corporate event.
A parachute is primarily for descent and is not steerable like a paraglider. A paraglider is a foot-launched, steerable wing used for recreational flight.