kill cord

noun

On a small boat, a safety device consisting of a cord attached to the helmsman's leg or arm and linked to an engine cut-out switch, such that the switch is triggered and the boat's engine automatically stopped ("killed") if the helmsman is thrown from his seat.

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Meanings

nounkill cord (plural kill cords)

plural kill cords

  1. nauticalOn a small boat, a safety device consisting of a cord attached to the helmsman's leg or arm and linked to an engine cut-out switch, such that the switch is triggered and the boat's engine automatically stopped ("killed") if the helmsman is thrown from his seat.
Cite this entry
APA

kill cord. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20cord

MLA

“kill cord.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20cord. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kill cord,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20cord.

Source: kill cord on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.