Emergency Button: Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：emergency button (Emergency Button)

Emergency Button 🔊

/ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi ˈbʌtən/

A button, often red, that you press only in urgent situations to call for help or stop something dangerous, like a train or elevator.

emergency button 🔊

➕

/ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi ˈbʌtən/

A clearly marked button, often red or with a protective cover, designed to be pressed only during urgent or dangerous situations to call for help or stop a machine.

📁 Category：Transportation & Travel 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Combination of 'emergency' (from Latin 'emergens') and 'button' (from French 'bouton').

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a bright red button—press only when urgent. 'E' for emergency, 'B' for button.

📖 Example

On the subway, if you see someone feeling very sick, you can press the emergency button to talk to the driver. 🔊 On the subway, if you see someone feeling very sick, you can press the emergency button to talk to the driver.

🔗 Collocations

press the emergency button – Push the button that activates an emergency response.

emergency button cover – A protective lid over the button to prevent accidental pressing.

emergency stop button – A button used to immediately halt machinery in dangerous situations.

🔄 Synonyms

panic button (n.) – A button used to summon help in a crisis, often in security systems.

alarm button (n.) – A button that triggers an audible or visual alarm.

emergency stop (n.) – A control that shuts down equipment in an emergency.

🚫 Antonyms

start button (n.) – A button used to begin an operation normally.

reset button (n.) – A button that restores a device to its initial state.

🌱 Derivatives

emergency (n./adj.) – A serious, unexpected situation requiring immediate action.

button (n.) – A small fastener or control knob.

📖 Cultural Story

Emergency buttons became standard in elevators and subways in the early 1900s after safety regulations required accessible controls for passengers to call for help in crises.