escape

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of escaping physically

   I made my escape from the mental hospital.

2. 2
   noun

   a means or way of getting out of a situation or physical restraints

   The escape from the forest was hard work.

3. 3
   noun

   an avoidance of danger or difficulty

   that was a narrow escape

4. 4
   noun

   an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy

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

5. 5
   noun

   the discharge of a fluid from some container

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

6. 6
   verb

   issue or leak, as from a small opening

   Gas escaped into the bedroom

7. 7
   verb

   run away from confinement

   The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison

8. 8
   verb

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

   We escaped to our summer house for a few days

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.