WordGarden.ioripcord
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈɪpkɔːd/
US
Meanings
Noun
a cord that deploys a parachute
a last-resort way to get out of a difficult situation
Beyond the definition
Imagine you have jumped from a plane, and now the moment comes when you need your parachute to open. That is where a ripcord comes in. It is the cord or handle you pull to release the parachute or start an emergency system. In the literal sense, it is tied to safety, timing, and getting out of danger fast.
But "ripcord" is not just about parachutes anymore. People also use it in a figurative way. If someone "pulls the ripcord" on a plan, a deal, or a project, they stop it suddenly before things get worse. It suggests a quick, serious decision made to avoid more trouble or loss.
A ripcord is, first of all, the cord or handle used to open a parachute or trigger a release mechanism in an emergency. The word is most strongly linked with parachuting and older parachute systems, where pulling it started the process that opened the parachute pack. In that literal sense, it carries ideas of danger, timing, and survival.
From there, the meaning spread into everyday language. Now, when people say someone "pulled the ripcord," they often mean that the person chose to stop something suddenly and completely because the situation was becoming risky, costly, or impossible to manage. It is not a calm or casual choice. It usually suggests pressure, urgency, and a need to act before more damage is done.
You might hear it in business, politics, sports, or personal life. A company may pull the ripcord on a failing product. An investor may pull the ripcord on a bad deal. A person may pull the ripcord on a relationship or plan that is clearly going wrong. In each case, the image is the same: things are falling fast, and someone makes one sharp move to get out before the crash becomes worse.
That image gives the word its force. Even when it is used figuratively, it still feels dramatic because it comes from a life-or-death action in the air. So "ripcord" can name a real parachute release, but it can also describe any urgent decision to abandon, end, or escape a failing situation before it is too late.
Examples
- 1
Parachute equipment
At 4,000 feet, the instructor told me to pull the ripcord.
- 2
Project cancellation
When the numbers got worse, the company pulled the ripcord on the project and cut its losses.
- Patternpull the ripcord on + plan/project
stop it quickly before things get worse
- 3
Exit option
If the partnership starts to look risky, we can still pull the ripcord and walk away.
See also
Similar
- release cord
- pull cord
Shades of meaning
- release handle
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- pull the ripcord
- parachute ripcord
- emergency ripcord
Word family
- ripcords
Explore
- parachute deployment
- emergency release
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- ripcordnoun