Pia carry

noun

A technique for bringing a drowning non-swimmer to shore, by holding their head out of the water, encircling their waist or hips with one arm, and supporting their buttocks or thigh on one's hip, while propelling oneself by kicking.

Meanings

nounPia carry (plural Pia carries)

plural Pia carries

  1. A technique for bringing a drowning non-swimmer to shore, by holding their head out of the water, encircling their waist or hips with one arm, and supporting their buttocks or thigh on one's hip, while propelling oneself by kicking.

Origin

Introduced by Francesco "Frank" Pia, American lifeguard.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Pia carry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pia%20carry

MLA

“Pia carry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pia%20carry. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Pia carry,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pia%20carry.

Source: Pia carry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.