escape
Nouns
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(n) 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
-
(n) 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
-
(n) 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
-
(n) an avoidance of danger or difficulty
- that was a narrow escape
-
(n) a means or way of escaping
- hard work was his escape from worry
- they installed a second hatch as an escape
- their escape route
- (n) a plant originally cultivated but now growing wild
-
(n) 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
- (n) 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 escape cock, escape valve, relief valve, safety valve,
Verbs
-
(v) run away from confinement
- The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison
-
(v) fail to experience
- Fortunately, I missed the hurricane
-
(v) escape potentially unpleasant consequences; get away with a forbidden action
- She gets away with murder!
- I couldn't get out from under these responsibilities
-
(v) be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by
- What you are seeing in him eludes me
-
(v) 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
-
(v) flee; take to one's heels; cut and run
- If you see this man, run!
- The burglars escaped before the police showed up
-
(v) issue or leak, as from a small opening
- Gas escaped into the bedroom