■ noun a canopy which fills with air and allows a person or heavy object attached to it to descend slowly when dropped from a high position, especially in an aircraft.
■ verb
1》 drop or cause to drop by ~.
2》 appoint or be appointed in an emergency or from outside the existing hierarchy.
Derivatives
parachutist noun
Origin
C18: from Fr. para- 'protection against' + chute 'fall'.