Lanyard

Lanyard
A lanyard (sword knot) fixed to hilt of an infantry sword

A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects. Alternatively it is a length of cord or wire with a hook at the end used to fire an artillery piece, or to arm the fuze mechanism on an air-dropped bomb by pulling out a cotter pin[disambiguation needed ] (thereby starting the arming delay) when it leaves the aircraft.

Contents

Origin

In the military, lanyards originally were used to connect a pistol, sword or whistle (for signalling) to a uniform on a semi-permanent basis. Lanyards were used in situations where there was a good chance of losing the object - commonly by cavalry and naval officers at sea. A well-made pistol lanyard can be easily removed and reattached by the user, but otherwise will stay connected to the pistol whether it is drawn or in a holster. Lanyards later became a more decorative item.

Whistle with lanyard

Lanyards of various colour combinations and braid patterns are also commonly worn on the shoulders of military uniforms to denote the wearer's qualification or regimental affiliation. Many regiments were originally mounted and wore the lanyard on the left, enabling the rider to pull a whistle from his left tunic pocket and maintain communication with his troop.

Styles

Lanyard for keys

Simple lanyards made of braided fabric with a clip attached to the end are used frequently in retail and business situations for holding name badges. The typical arrangement is to attach a plastic pouch with at least one clear side to the lanyard, with the person's name badge facing the front and occasionally small items such as business cards, pens or tools stashed behind the badge for easy access. Such lanyards can also be used as keychains, particularly in situations where keys can easily be lost for lack of storage, such as gyms, public pools and communal showers.

Common lanyard materials include polyester, nylon, satin, silk, and Polyethylene terephthalate or PET.

Other uses

A USB flash drive with an Ubuntu-branded lanyard. Another feature is the black plastic part. This is a predetermined and reattachable breaking point. It is to meant to prevent accidental strangulation when the lanyard is worn around the neck.

Lanyards are widely used with small electronic devices such as cameras, MP3 players and USB flash drives to prevent loss or dropping. Electronics designed to take a lanyard usually have a small through-hole built into a corner or edge of the case or anchored to the frame of the device; the corresponding lanyard generally has a loop of thread on the end that is attached to that hole with a simple knot, usually a cow hitch. Some earphones incorporate the audio signal into the lanyard, meaning it doubles up as headphone cords as well. The Wii Remote wrist strap is a form of lanyard, keeping the device attached to a player's arm during the often vigorous movements involved in its use.

Lanyards are commonly used to display badges, tickets or ID cards for identification where security is required, for example, public places such as hospitals, prisons and some schools or in commercial enterprises as well as public gatherings such as concerts, conventions and trade fairs.

In these cases, lanyards are often customized with the related name and/or logo of the event, business, or organization. Lanyards can feature a variety of customization techniques including screen-printing, Jacquard loom weaving, heat transfer, and offset printing.

Lanyards are also often attached to dead man's switches or "kill switches" on dangerous machinery, such as large industrial cutting/slicing machines; on vehicles, such as jet-skis or trains; and on exercise treadmills, so that if the operator suddenly becomes incapacitated, their fall will pull on the lanyard attached to their wrist, which will then pull the switch to immediately stop the machine or vehicle.

Some law enforcement officers and members of the military utilize specialized lanyards to keep sidearms from falling to the ground during missions. [1]

Military Lanyards

Certain lanyards are still worn on uniforms as decorations. Among these are the Orange Lanyard in the Military William Order of the Netherlands, and the German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship.

Also

Lanyard can also refer to Scoubidou, (also called Gimp, Scoubi, Scoobie, or Boondoggle). It is a plaiting and knotting craft, originally aimed at children, which originated in France, where it became a fad in the late 1950s. Scoubidou-making is a popular pastime at summer camps for children, often employed to keep the children busy.

See also

References

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lanyard — UK US /ˈlænjɑːd/ US  /ˈlænjərd/ noun [C] ► WORKPLACE a long thick string or piece of material that is worn around the neck and used to carry small objects: »Printed lanyards are a cheap promotional tool for advertising your company logo. »Staff… …   Financial and business terms

  • Lanyard — Lan yard, n. [F. lani[ e]re thong, strap, OF. lasniere, fr. lasne strap, thong, L. lacinia lappet. flap, edge of a garment. Cf. {Lanier}.] [Written also {laniard}.] 1. (Naut.) A short piece of rope or line for fastening something in ships; as,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lanyard — also laniard, alternative spelling (influenced by nautical yard (2) long beam used to support a sail ) of M.E. lainer, thong for fastening parts of armor or clothing (late 14c.), from O.Fr. laniere thong, lash, from lasniere, from lasne strap,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • lanyard — (also laniard) ► NOUN 1) a rope used to secure or raise and lower something such as a ship s sails. 2) a cord passed round the neck, shoulder, or wrist for holding a whistle or similar object. ORIGIN Old French laniere, altered by association… …   English terms dictionary

  • lanyard — [lan′yərd] n. [altered (infl. by YARD1) < ME lanyer < MFr laniere < OFr lasniere < lasne, noose, earlier nasle < Frank * nastila, a cord, lace, dim. of Gmc * nast < IE base * ned > L nodus, knot] 1. a short rope or cord used… …   English World dictionary

  • Lanyard — Ein Wikipedia Lanyard …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lanyard — Se denomina Lanyard a un trozo de tela anudada para agarrar algún objeto. Uso clásico Espada agarrada a un lanyard De modo clásico se han usado en el mundo militar para llevar armas o en montañismo para diferentes utensilios. Colgante promocional …   Wikipedia Español

  • lanyard — UK [ˈlænjə(r)d] / US [ˈlænjərd] noun [countable] Word forms lanyard : singular lanyard plural lanyards 1) a short rope used on ships for fastening things such as the sails 2) a loose thick string worn around the neck, on which you hang small… …   English dictionary

  • lanyard — noun Etymology: Middle English lanyer thong, lanyard, from Anglo French lanier Date: 15th century 1. a piece of rope or line for fastening something in a ship; especially one of the pieces passing through deadeyes to extend shrouds or stays 2. a …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Lanyard — Schlüsselband * * * Lan|yard […ja:ɐ̯t , lɛnjət ], der od. das; [s], s [engl. lanyard = Bändel, Kordel, aus frz. lanière = Riemen]: längeres, um den Hals zu legendes Band, an dem Schlüssel, Ausweise o. Ä. befestigt werden können …   Universal-Lexikon

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