escape

noun

UK /ɪˈskeɪp/

Word Forms

singular	escape
plural	escapes

1
countable/uncountable an act of avoiding or getting away from a person, place, or bad situation
escape from:
He had no means of escape from his debts.
chance/hope of escape:
There was now only a slim chance of escape.
make your escape:
She was relieved to make her escape from the meeting.
escape route:
Make sure you are aware of possible escape routes from your hotel room.
Synonyms and related words
To escape from a place or situation
escape
get away
break away
2
countable/uncountable a way of helping yourself to stop thinking about an unpleasant situation that you are in
He used alcohol as a means of escape.
Synonyms and related words
Ways of thinking
approach
view
mind
3
countable an amount of gas or liquid that escapes from a container
escape of:
There was a rapid escape of gas.
Synonyms and related words
To send something out into the air or environment
give off
send out
emit
4
countable an occasion when you go away on holiday
Synonyms and related words
Types of holiday
activity holiday
adventure holiday
babymoon
5
uncountable the escape key on a computer
Press escape to return to the main menu.
Synonyms and related words
Keys on the computer keyboard
Alt key
arrow key
backspace

phrases

have a narrow/lucky escape

escape

noun

US /ɪˈskeɪp/

Word Forms

singular	escape
plural	escapes

1
countable/uncountable an act of avoiding or getting away from a person, place, or bad situation
escape from:
He had no means of escape from his debts.
chance/hope of escape:
There was now only a slim chance of escape.
make your escape:
She was relieved to make her escape from the meeting.
escape route:
Make sure you are aware of possible escape routes from your hotel room.
Synonyms and related words
To escape from a place or situation
escape
get away
break away
2
countable/uncountable a way of helping yourself to stop thinking about an unpleasant situation that you are in
He used alcohol as a means of escape.
Synonyms and related words
Ways of thinking
approach
view
mind
3
countable an amount of gas or liquid that escapes from a container
escape of:
There was a rapid escape of gas.
Synonyms and related words
To send something out into the air or environment
give off
send out
emit
4
countable an occasion when you go away on vacation
Synonyms and related words
Types of holiday
activity holiday
activity vacation
adventure travel
5
uncountable the escape key on a computer
Press escape to return to the main menu.
Synonyms and related words
Keys on the computer keyboard
Alt key
arrow key
backspace

phrases

have a narrow/lucky escape

escape

verb

UK /ɪˈskeɪp/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	escape
he/she/it	escapes
present participle	escaping
past tense	escaped
past participle	escaped

1
intransitive to get away from a place where you are in danger
Three people died in the fire, but John escaped through the bedroom window.
escape from:
His family escaped from Germany and arrived in Britain in 1938.
Synonyms and related words
To escape from a place or situation
escape
get away
break away
1. 1a
  intransitive/transitive to get away from a very unpleasant situation
  people trying to escape poverty
  escape from:
  She saw university as a way to escape from her oppressive home life.
  Synonyms and related words
  To get out of a situation
  escape
  ride out
  extricate
2. 1b
  intransitive to get away from a place that you are not allowed to leave, for example a prison
  She was shot while trying to escape.
  Synonyms and related words
  To escape from a place or situation
  escape
  get away
  break away
3. 1c
  intransitive/transitive to get away from an embarrassing or annoying situation
  Maggie started talking to me and I thought I’d never escape.
  escape someone’s clutches:
  He was trying to escape the clutches of two amorous young girls.
  Synonyms and related words
  To get out of a situation
  escape
  ride out
  extricate
2
intransitive/transitive to avoid being killed or seriously injured in an accident or attack
Two security guards escaped injury in the attack.
escape with:
Mr Smith escaped with cuts and bruises.
escape unhurt/unharmed/unscathed:
Her two-week-old baby escaped unscathed.
escape with your life (=avoid being killed):
He was lucky to escape with his life.
Synonyms and related words
To avoid risks or danger
escape
retreat
skate over/around
1. 2a
  transitive to avoid a difficult or unpleasant situation
  The area has escaped the ravages of war.
  Hughes seems certain to escape punishment.
  narrowly escape:
  Durham narrowly escaped defeat in their first match of the season.
  Synonyms and related words
  To avoid risks or danger
  escape
  retreat
  skate over/around
2. 2b
  intransitive/transitive to avoid thinking about or dealing with an unpleasant situation that you are in
  escape from:
  The cinema allowed people to escape from the depressing realities of their lives.
  Synonyms and related words
  To avoid doing something, or to avoid something
  avoid
  get out of
  duck out of
3
transitive if something escapes you, you cannot remember it or you do not notice it
His name escapes me right now.
It seems to have escaped him that I was the one who first introduced him to her.
escape your attention/notice:
It had not escaped my attention that Joseph was absent.
Synonyms and related words
To forget, or to try to forget
forget
blot out
blank out
4
intransitive to come out of a container, usually by accident
How will we know if there’s any gas escaping?
About five tonnes of crude oil had escaped into the sea.
Synonyms and related words
To send something out into the air or environment
give off
send out
emit
1. 4a
  literaryto come out of your mouth, although you did not intend it to
  A weary sigh escaped from her lips.
  Synonyms and related words
  To mention something, or to be mentioned
  mention
  refer to
  invoke
5
intransitive informalto go away on holiday
We’re hoping to escape to the Algarve in May.
Synonyms and related words
To be, or to go on holiday
go away
get off
get away

phrases

there’s no escaping the fact that

escape

verb

US /ɪˈskeɪp/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	escape
he/she/it	escapes
present participle	escaping
past tense	escaped
past participle	escaped

1
intransitive to get away from a place where you are in danger
Three people died in the fire, but John escaped through the bedroom window.
escape from:
His family escaped from Germany and arrived in Britain in 1938.
Synonyms and related words
To escape from a place or situation
escape
get away
break away
1. 1a
  intransitive/transitive to get away from a very unpleasant situation
  people trying to escape poverty
  escape from:
  She saw university as a way to escape from her oppressive home life.
  Synonyms and related words
  To get out of a situation
  escape
  ride out
  extricate
2. 1b
  intransitive to get away from a place that you are not allowed to leave, for example a prison
  She was shot while trying to escape.
  Synonyms and related words
  To escape from a place or situation
  escape
  get away
  break away
3. 1c
  intransitive/transitive to get away from an embarrassing or annoying situation
  Maggie started talking to me and I thought I’d never escape.
  escape someone’s clutches:
  He was trying to escape the clutches of two amorous young girls.
  Synonyms and related words
  To get out of a situation
  escape
  ride out
  extricate
2
intransitive/transitive to avoid being killed or seriously injured in an accident or attack
Two security guards escaped injury in the attack.
escape with:
Mr. Smith escaped with cuts and bruises.
escape unhurt/unharmed/unscathed:
Her two-week-old baby escaped unscathed.
escape with your life (=avoid being killed):
He was lucky to escape with his life.
Synonyms and related words
To avoid risks or danger
escape
retreat
skate over/around
1. 2a
  transitive to avoid a difficult or unpleasant situation
  The area has escaped the ravages of war.
  Hughes seems certain to escape punishment.
  narrowly escape:
  San Diego narrowly escaped defeat in their first game of the season.
  Synonyms and related words
  To avoid risks or danger
  escape
  retreat
  skate over/around
2. 2b
  intransitive/transitive to avoid thinking about or dealing with an unpleasant situation that you are in
  escape from:
  The movies allowed people to escape from the depressing realities of their lives.
  Synonyms and related words
  To avoid doing something, or to avoid something
  avoid
  get out of
  duck out of
3
intransitive to come out of a container, usually by accident
How will we know if there’s any gas escaping?
About five tons of crude oil had escaped into the ocean.
Synonyms and related words
To send something out into the air or environment
give off
send out
emit
1. 3a
  literaryto come out of your mouth, although you did not intend it to
  A weary sigh escaped from her lips.
  Synonyms and related words
  To mention something, or to be mentioned
  mention
  refer to
  invoke
4
transitive if something escapes you, you cannot remember it or you do not notice it
His name escapes me right now.
It seems to have escaped him that I was the one who first introduced him to her.
escape your attention/notice:
It had not escaped my attention that Joseph was absent.
Synonyms and related words
To forget, or to try to forget
forget
escape
blot out
5
intransitive informalto go away on vacation
We’re hoping to escape to the coast in May.
Synonyms and related words
To be, or to go on holiday
vacation
go away
get off

phrases

there’s no escaping the fact that

escape ​‌‌

escape ​‌‌

escape ​‌‌‌

escape ​‌‌‌

escape

escape

escape

escape