parachute
gb/pˈɛɹəʃˌut/ us/pˈɛɹəʃˌut/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
canopy that slows a fall
A piece of cloth that opens like a big umbrella to help someone fall safely from the sky.
Usage pattern:
a parachute; [someone] wears/opens a parachute
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse parachute (the device) with parachuting (the activity).
Synonyms
chute (Informal short form, common in skydiving.)
Antonyms
free fall (Falling without a parachute opened.)
Collocations
open a parachute
|pull the ripcord
|pack a parachute
|a main parachute
|a reserve parachute
|parachute harness
|parachute canopy
|parachute jump
|parachute deployment
|parachute cords
Themes
travel
|sports
|safety
|aviation
Examples
- His parachute opened a few seconds after he jumped from the plane.
- The instructor showed us how to pack the parachute correctly.
- The cargo was dropped with a parachute to prevent damage on landing.
Learner examples
- She jumped with a parachute.
- My parachute opened safely.
Verb
B2
action
2
descend using a parachute
To go down through the air using a parachute.
Usage pattern:
[someone] parachutes (down) (to/into) [place]
Common mistake:
Parachute is the general verb; skydive often implies the sport and may include free fall before opening the parachute.
Synonyms
skydive (Often refers to the sport and may include a period of free fall.)
Antonyms
plunge (To fall quickly and uncontrollably, without slowing.)
Collocations
parachute down
|parachute into a field
|parachute from a plane
|parachute behind enemy lines
|parachute safely
|parachute to the ground
|parachute in strong winds
|parachute over the desert
Themes
sports
|aviation
Examples
- They parachuted into the valley just before sunrise.
- Supplies were parachuted to the flood zone when roads were blocked.
- He parachuted down and landed near the runway.
Learner examples
- They parachuted to the ground.
- We parachuted from the plane.
Noun
B2
abstract
3
backup plan or protection
Something that helps you avoid big problems if something goes wrong.
Usage pattern:
a parachute for [someone]; a parachute against [something]
Common mistake:
This figurative meaning is usually used with an explanation (e.g., 'a financial parachute'), not just 'a parachute' alone.
Synonyms
safety net (Very common metaphor for protection from hardship.)
|
fallback (Emphasizes a second option if the first fails.)
Antonyms
gamble (A risky choice without protection if things go wrong.)
Collocations
a financial parachute
|an economic parachute
|a safety parachute
|a parachute plan
|a parachute fund
|a parachute policy
|a parachute against losses
|a parachute for hard times
Themes
business
|daily_life
|risk
Examples
- She kept some savings as a parachute in case the business failed.
- The extra insurance acted as a parachute against unexpected costs.
- Having a second qualification can be a career parachute.
Learner examples
- I saved money as a parachute.
- This plan is my parachute if I lose my job.
Noun
business
C1
entity
4
large severance payment
A big amount of money someone gets if they lose a high-level job.
Usage pattern:
a parachute; negotiate/offer [someone] a parachute
Common mistake:
In this sense, parachute usually refers to an agreement or package, not the physical safety device.
Synonyms
severance package (More general and neutral; not necessarily extremely large.)
|
golden handshake (Common term for a large payment on departure, especially in British English.)
Antonyms
no severance (Leaving a job without any exit payment or benefits.)
Collocations
a generous parachute
|an executive parachute
|a severance parachute
|a compensation parachute
|negotiate a parachute
|offer a parachute
|secure a parachute
|a contract with a parachute
Themes
business
|money
|work
Examples
- The CEO’s contract included a parachute worth several million dollars.
- Shareholders criticized the company for offering a huge parachute after the merger.
- She negotiated a parachute before agreeing to take the role.
Learner examples
- His contract included a big parachute.
- She got a parachute when she left the company.
Grammar
Dictionary form
parachute
IPA
GB/pˈɛɹəʃˌut/
US/pˈɛɹəʃˌut/
Syllables & stress
para - chute (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (para)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: parachute
- Plural: parachutes
Verb
- Base: parachute
- 3rd Person Singular: parachutes
- Present Participle: parachuting
- Past: parachuted
Word family
Forms
parachutes
noun
parachuting
verb
parachuted
verb
Core family
parachutist
noun
Related words
paratrooper
noun C1
Expressions
golden parachute
1/ɡˈoʊldən pˈɛɹəʃˌut/
fixed phrase
business
very large executive exit package
A very big payment to an executive who leaves a company.
Examples
- The new contract offered him a golden parachute if the company was sold.
- Investors voted against the golden parachute provisions.
- The article criticized executives who left with golden parachutes after poor performance.
parachute in
1/pˈɛɹəʃˌut ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
bring in quickly from outside
To send someone from outside to a job or problem very quickly.
Examples
- The board parachuted in an interim manager to stabilize the team.
- A specialist was parachuted in to handle the crisis communications.
- He parachuted in and immediately changed the project plan.
parachute payment
1/pˈɛɹəʃˌut pˈeɪmənt/
fixed phrase
financial support after relegation
Extra money a team gets after it drops to a lower league.
Examples
- The club relied on parachute payments after relegation.
- Critics argue that parachute payments make the league less competitive.
- Parachute payments helped them keep key players for one more season.