life-support machine
nounUK /ˈlaɪf səˌpɔːt məˈʃiːn/
US /ˈlaɪf səˌpɔːrt məˈʃiːn/
A machine that keeps a very sick person alive when their body cannot do it alone.
The patient was placed on a life-support machine after the accident.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Any system or equipment that keeps something functioning in extreme conditions.
The spacecraft's life-support machine recycled air and water for the crew.
3. A backup system that keeps a process or organization running when normal support fails.
The grant acted as a life-support machine for the small theater.
4. The artificial means of sustaining vital bodily functions in critical care.
Doctors discussed whether to keep him on the life-support machine.