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Escape Very Common

Escape has 17 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

the act of escaping physically

"he made his escape from the mental hospital"

"the canary escaped from its cage"

"his flight was an indication of his guilt"

2

an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy

"romantic novels were her escape from the stress of daily life"

"his alcohol problem was a form of escapism"

3

nonperformance of something distasteful (as by deceit or trickery) that you are supposed to do

"his evasion of his clear duty was reprehensible"

"that escape from the consequences is possible but unattractive"

4

an avoidance of danger or difficulty

"that was a narrow escape"

5

a means or way of escaping

"hard work was his escape from worry"

"they installed a second hatch as an escape"

"their escape route"

6

a plant originally cultivated but now growing wild

"The invasive vine has escaped from the botanical garden and is choking the native trees in the forest."

7

the discharge of a fluid from some container

"they tried to stop the escape of gas from the damaged pipe"

"he had to clean up the leak"

8

a valve in a container in which pressure can build up (as a steam boiler); it opens automatically when the pressure reaches a dangerous level

"The engineer inspected the relief valve on the steam boiler to ensure its escape mechanism would open before an explosion occurred."

9

The act of leaving a dangerous or unpleasant situation.

"After hours of hiding from the storm, they finally managed to escape the flooded basement just as the water reached their knees."

In plain English: An escape is a way to get away from somewhere you don't want to be.

"The thief managed to escape before the police arrived."

Usage: Use this noun to describe the specific act of getting away from danger or confinement, such as a prisoner's escape or fleeing a fire. It refers to the event itself rather than the method used to leave.

Verb
1

run away from confinement

"The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison"

2

fail to experience

"Fortunately, I missed the hurricane"

3

escape potentially unpleasant consequences; get away with a forbidden action

"She gets away with murder!"

"I couldn't get out from under these responsibilities"

4

be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by

"What you are seeing in him eludes me"

5

remove oneself from a familiar environment, usually for pleasure or diversion

"We escaped to our summer house for a few days"

"The president of the company never manages to get away during the summer"

6

flee; take to one's heels; cut and run

"If you see this man, run!"

"The burglars escaped before the police showed up"

7

issue or leak, as from a small opening

"Gas escaped into the bedroom"

8

To get free; to free oneself.

"After hours of struggling against the tangled vines, she finally managed to escape and run back to safety."

In plain English: To escape means to get away from somewhere you don't want to be or something that is holding you back.

"The mouse managed to escape from the trap."

Usage: Use the verb escape when someone or something manages to get away from confinement or avoid an unpleasant situation. It emphasizes the successful act of breaking free rather than just attempting to leave.

Example Sentences
"The thief managed to escape before the police arrived." noun
"The prisoner managed to find an escape from the guarded cell." noun
"She felt a sudden desire for an escape into her favorite book." noun
"There was no possible escape from the heavy rain outside." noun
"The mouse managed to escape from the trap." verb
Related Terms
break jail prison get away out run getting run away prison break jail break flee getting away getaway exit running running away outlet fugacity scape narrow squeak
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
running away diversion negligence avoidance means plant discharge valve regulator flee avoid perplex escape leave issue
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
evasion break getaway exodus skedaddle escape mechanism malingering shirking circumvention shake elude exfiltrate slip run away escape evade defy flee

Origin

The word "escape" comes from the Vulgar Latin phrase excappāre, which literally meant to free oneself from a cape or cloak. It entered English through Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French, evolving from its original sense of removing one's clothing to mean getting away from danger or confinement.

Rhyming Words
ape nape vape jape tape rape gape pape cape scape swape slape grape chape trape shape agape snape knape frape
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