shock absorber

American  

noun

Machinery.

1. a device for damping sudden and rapid motion, as the recoil of a spring-mounted object from shock.

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shock absorber British  

noun

1. any device designed to absorb mechanical shock, esp one fitted to a motor vehicle to damp the recoil of the suspension springs

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Etymology

Origin of shock absorber

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

For retirees, it’s a good idea to have shock absorbers in your portfolio and make sure you aren’t too reliant on one hot stock or sector.

From Barron's

First, China has turned itself into the world’s oil shock absorber.

From Barron's

“In a perfect world,” Velis said, the SRF would be the shock absorber, where you are lending against good collateral to banks at the auction rate.

From MarketWatch

Those are solid results, considering the funds’ big helpings of bonds—the safety-first shock absorbers that make up a big part of their appeal to cautious investors.

From Barron's

Financial markets act like a shock absorber for investment.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• suspension system