escape

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪˈskeɪp/ UK /ɪˈskeɪp/ See IPA manual

Freq #1124

Meanings

1

verb
To get free from a place where you were trapped or held.

The prisoner escaped from the high-security jail during the night.
2

noun
The act of getting free from a place or a difficult situation.

The thieves planned their escape carefully.
3

verb
To get away from your usual life for rest or pleasure.

We escaped to a quiet beach house for the weekend.
4

verb
To leak out slowly through a small opening, as gas or liquid.

Gas was escaping from the cracked pipe.
5

noun
A way of forgetting unpleasant reality through entertainment or fantasy.

Romantic novels are her escape from the stress of daily life.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to get free from a place... break looseget away

2 noun · the act of getting free... flight

3 verb · to get away from your usual... get away

4 verb · to leak out slowly through... leak

5 noun · a way of forgetting... escapism

Word family

Forms escapedescapesescaping

Appears in

Phrases (9)

See all

lucky escape
an escape from danger that occurs by good fortune

Adjective + noun
make an escape
successfully get away from a place or dangerous situation

Verb + noun
plan an escape
organize the details of getting away from captivity or danger

Verb + noun
daring escape
a bold, courageous escape from captivity or danger

Adjective + noun
attempt an escape
try to get away, especially from captivity

Verb + noun
escape prison
to break out of prison without authorisation

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Escape entered Middle English from Old French eschaper, a word based on medieval Latin ex-, “out,” and cappa, “cloak.” It evokes slipping away while a pursuer is left holding one’s cloak; escapade originally carried the same sense.

Etymology

From Middle English escapen, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French escaper ( = Old French eschaper, modern French échapper), from Vulgar Latin *excappāre (“to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing”, literally “to free oneself from one's cape”), from Latin ex- (“out”) + Late Latin cappa (“cape, cloak”). Cognate with escapade. Also doublet of scape.

escapen Middle English escaper fro-nor *excappāre la-vul ex- Latin cappa la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# escape

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈskeɪp/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈskeɪp/
**Frequency rank:** 1124

## Meanings
1. To get free from a place where you were trapped or held.
2. The act of getting free from a place or a difficult situation.
3. To get away from your usual life for rest or pleasure.
4. To leak out slowly through a small opening, as gas or liquid.
5. A way of forgetting unpleasant reality through entertainment or fantasy.

## Examples
- The prisoner escaped from the high-security jail during the night.
- The thieves planned their escape carefully.
- We escaped to a quiet beach house for the weekend.
- Gas was escaping from the cracked pipe.
- Romantic novels are her escape from the stress of daily life.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: escapen
- Root: escaper
- Root: *excappāre
- Root: ex-
- Root: cappa

## Etymology
From Middle English escapen, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French escaper ( = Old French eschaper, modern French échapper), from Vulgar Latin *excappāre (“to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing”, literally “to free oneself from one's cape”), from Latin ex- (“out”) + Late Latin cappa (“cape, cloak”). Cognate with escapade. Also doublet of scape.

## AI Etymology
Escape comes from Middle English escapen, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French escaper (= Old French eschaper, modern French échapper), from Vulgar Latin *excappāre (“to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing”, literally “to free oneself from one's cape”), from Latin ex- (“out”) + Late Latin cappa (“cape, cloak”). Cognate with escapade. Also doublet of scape.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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