umbilical cord
The 'umbilical cord' is a vital conduit in both biological and technical contexts, symbolizing essential connections.
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Definition
B2Biology
(medical)A flexible tube connecting a fetus to the placenta, allowing the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste.
Example
- The doctor carefully clamped and cut the umbilical cord after the baby was born.
C1Aerospace
(technical)A line supplying an astronaut with oxygen and communications outside a spacecraft.
Example
- The astronaut's safety depended on the integrity of the umbilical cord during the spacewalk.
C1Aerospace
(technical)Any of the various lines connecting a rocket to its launch pad before liftoff.
Example
- Engineers checked the umbilical cord connections before the rocket's launch.
B2Metaphor
(figurative)An overdependence on or attachment to a source of support, often referring to parents or guardians.
Example
- He needed to cut the umbilical cord and start living independently.