Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dead man's handle

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.16 in modern English

Syllables: dead- -man's han-dle
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A lever used as a safety device, typically on trains, which shuts off power if the operator releases their grip.

Example Sentences

"Dead-man's handle, automatic train stop, quick-acting compressed-air brake specially suited for high-speed working, and regenerative braking are among the features of the new locomotives."
"There were two engine men in case one of them fainted or died, the 'dead man's handle' of the later Tubes (a fail-safe device that stops the train if the driver does not maintain manual pressure on a lever) not having been perfected."

Inflected Forms

dead man's handles (plural)

Questions

What does dead man's handle mean?: A lever used as a safety device, typically on trains, which shuts off power if the operator releases their grip.

How to pronounce dead man's handle

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