arrestor bed

noun

variants or arrester bed

: a bed of loose material (such as gravel) designed to slow a vehicle (such as a landing aircraft or a semitrailer) that is out of control

Where airport space and geography don't allow that, engineered structures known as arrestor beds have been installed at 44 runway ends at 30 U.S. airports, with several more planned.

—Ian MacLeod, Ottawa Citizen, 21 June 2010

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

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