life vest

Meaning

A life vest is an inflatable safety jacket used on airplanes and boats to help you float in water during an emergency. On a plane, it is typically stored in a pouch directly under your seat or under the armrest. Flight attendants demonstrate how to put it on and inflate it before every flight.

Examples

• The flight attendant showed us how to inflate the life vest in an emergency.

  The flight attendant showed us how to inflate the life vest in an emergency.

• Your life vest is located in a pouch under your seat.

  Your life vest is located in a pouch under your seat.

• Do not inflate your life vest inside the aircraft.

  Do not inflate your life vest inside the aircraft.

• Every passenger boat must carry enough life vests for everyone on board.

  Every passenger boat must carry enough life vests for everyone on board.

• The safety card explains how to pull the red tabs to inflate the life vest.

  The safety card explains how to pull the red tabs to inflate the life vest.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I found my life jacket under the seat.

  ✓ I found my life vest under the seat.

  While 'life jacket' is common on boats, commercial airlines and safety briefings almost exclusively use the term 'life vest'.

• ✗ You must wear a life coat.

  ✓ You must wear a life vest.

  'Life coat' is an incorrect literal translation. The correct English term is 'life vest' or 'life jacket'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• In the event of a water landing, pull the red tabs on your ___ to inflate it.

  💡 The inflatable safety jacket under your plane seat.

  Show answer

  life vest

• The cabin crew checked to make sure every seat had a ___ underneath.

  💡 A floating device used in emergencies.

  Show answer

  life vest