what does lanyard mean

Lanyard. what does lanyard mean? A lanyard is a cord or strap worn around the neck, shoulder, or wrist to carry such items as keys or identification cards. In the military, lanyards were used to fire an artillery piece or arm the fuze mechanism on an air-dropped bomb by pulling out a cotter pin (thereby starting the arming delay) when it leaves the aircraft. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure or lower objects. Origins The earliest references to lanyards date from 15th century France: "Lanière" was a thong or strap apparatus. In the French military, lanyards were used to connect a pistol, sword or whistle (for signalling) to a uniform semi-permanently. [...]