escape1 verbescape2 noun
escapees‧cape1 /ɪˈskeɪp/ ●●● S3 W2 verb 
WORD ORIGINescape1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old North French escaper, from Vulgar Latin excappare, from Late Latin cappa ‘head-covering’; from the idea of throwing off something that limits your movementVERB TABLE
escape
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | escape |
| he, she, it | escapes | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | escaped |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have escaped |
| he, she, it | has escaped | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had escaped |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will escape |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have escaped |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am escaping |
| he, she, it | is escaping | |
| you, we, they | are escaping | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was escaping |
| you, we, they | were escaping | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been escaping |
| he, she, it | has been escaping | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been escaping |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be escaping |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been escaping |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A cloud of poisonous gas escaped from the chemical plant.
- Although I know that the novel was published in the nineteenth century, the actual date escapes me.
- Criminals generally know their neighborhood well, so it's not difficult for them to escape into the back streets.
- Four prisoners escaped through a hole in the fence.
- Grant had escaped through a bathroom window while in police custody.
- Guards have been ordered to shoot anyone trying to escape.
- Hare escaped death by testifying against his partner, who was later hanged.
- He escaped from prison in June, but was rearrested by police a month later.
- He ducked down an alley to escape from the mob that was chasing him.
- He was one of nine men who escaped from prison in July.
- I could see no way of escaping the boredom of the small-town social scene.
- I know I've heard this song before but its name escapes me.
- It looks as if they've escaped. They're probably over the border by now.
- Josie managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.
- Many young offenders escape punishment completely.
- Only four people managed to escape before the roof collapsed.
- People are willing to pay $10 for a movie ticket to escape their problems.
- Police surrounded the building, but somehow the gunman managed to escape.
- So far the terrorists have managed to escape the police.
- Some people were able to escape over the border into Tanzania.
- And suddenly she couldn't escape quickly enough.
- But it means retailers' profit margins escape the tax net.
- Gerhard Berger escaped unhurt from a high-speed collision with Ferrari team-mate Jean Alesi.
- He has escaped lightly from other brushes with the law, and from politically incorrect condemnations of homosexuality, feminism and contraception.
- Knowingly or not, others have narrowly escaped Pottker.
- Lots of computer-generated technical dazzle in this fantasy about jungle animals escaping a supernatural board game and terrorizing a New Hampshire town.
- There was no possible way to escape.
- Weldon Flaharty, said in a recent interview that he inexplicably escaped administrative punishment, which could have shortened his career.
THESAURUS
to leave a place when someone is trying to catch you or stop you, or when there is a dangerous situation: · The thief escaped through an upstairs window.· She managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.
to escape from someone who is chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you will be caught. Get away is more informal than escape: · The robbers got away but left plenty of clues at the scene.· Don’t let him get away!
to escape from someone who is holding you: · She broke free and started running.
written to leave somewhere very quickly in order to escape from danger: · Many people were forced to flee the country.· The two men fled before police arrived.
to escape from a building or room: · I was locked in the room and couldn’t get out.
to escape from prison: · The jail is so secure that no one has ever broken out of it.
formal to escape from a prison or institution where you are supposed to stay: · Three prisoners who absconded have still not been found.· He absconded from a psychiatric hospital.
Longman Language Activatorto escape from somewhere where you are in danger to get away from a place, country etc where you are in danger, especially when it is difficult to do this because someone is trying to catch you or stop you leaving: · Only four people managed to escape before the roof collapsed.· The refugees have crossed miles of desert to escape civil war and famine.escape from: · Josie managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.escape into/through/over etc: · Some people were able to escape over the border into Tanzania.· When the army began killing civilians in the town, he was able to escape through the jungle.
to escape from a place or country when there is a serious risk that something bad will happen very soon: · Eventually we realized there was no way of getting out.· A few people managed to get out before the government crackdown.get out of: · All US tourists and journalists are being advised to get out of the country as soon as possible.get out alive: · The whole building was on fire - we were lucky to get out alive!
to try to escape from someone by running away: · Don't run away - I'm not going to hurt you.· Delia managed to get away from the man and ran off screaming.run away/run off from: · If you run away from the bull, it's almost certain to attack you.run away/run off into/down/across etc: · He jumped out of the car and ran off into the woods.
to suddenly run away very quickly, as soon as you have a chance, especially because you are very frightened: · One of the horses got into a panic and bolted.· When police approached him to ask him some questions, he bolted.bolt across/into/out etc: · Before I could say a word, she turned and bolted out the front door.
informal to suddenly run away very quickly because you are in danger of being caught, especially when you are doing something illegal: · Somebody's coming. Quick, run for it.· There's no way we can beat them - we're going to have to make a run for it.
to escape as quickly as possible because you are in great danger - used especially in newspapers: · When police arrived, the two men fled.flee from/to/into etc: · Most of the women there were Somalis fleeing from the civil war.· Up to five million political refugees have fled to other countries.flee the country/the city etc: · Rollins tried to flee the country but was stopped at the airport.
to escape from a place or a dangerous situation, especially when you do this quickly and secretly, as soon as you have a chance: · He made his escape by climbing through the window and down the fire escape.· The hostages spent days waiting for the opportunity to make their escape.
to escape by running away very quickly - used especially in stories: · The kids immediately took to their heels as Mrs Brewster appeared around the corner.· He jumped off the train, took to his heels, and was quickly out of sight.
to escape from someone who is holding you: · She wanted to break away, but his grip was too strong.· With a violent twist he broke free and ran out of the room.break free/break away from: · Then Tammy broke free from Judd and ran for the door screaming.
to escape from an aircraft that is going to crash: · The pilot bailed out of the aircraft just in time and was only slightly injured.
to escape from a prison or from where someone is keeping you to escape from a prison or from a place where someone is keeping you: · Guards have been ordered to shoot anyone trying to escape.escape from: · He escaped from prison in June, but was rearrested by police a month later.escape into/through/out etc.: · Grant had escaped through a bathroom window while in police custody.
to escape from a prison or from a building or room where you are being kept: · Some of the men were planning to break out.· The doors and windows are all firmly locked - I don't know how we're going to get out.break out/get out of: · In 1998 the two men broke out of jail and murdered a police officer.· No one has ever managed to get out of this prison alive.
to succeed in escaping from someone who is chasing you to succeed in escaping from someone who is trying to catch you: · It looks as if they've escaped. They're probably over the border by now.· So far the terrorists have managed to escape the police.escape from: · He ducked down an alley to escape from the mob that was chasing him.escape into/across/over etc: · Criminals generally know their neighborhood well, so it's not difficult for them to escape into the back streets.
to escape from someone who is chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you will be caught afterwards: · How could you let him get away!· Police believe the gunmen got away in a white Ford pickup.get away from: · Follow that car and don't let it get away from you.get clean away (=get away completely): · Detectives followed the man as far as the harbour, but then he jumped into a speedboat and got clean away.
informal to escape from someone who is chasing you by tricking them or doing something unexpected: · Watch him very carefully - he might try and give us the slip.· I wanted to talk to her before she left the hotel, but she gave me the slip.
to escape from someone who is chasing you or trying to find you by cleverly doing something that makes it impossible for them to know where you are: · He made the calls from different pay phones around the city to throw the police off the scent.
to escape from someone, especially someone who has been chasing you for a long time, for example by hiding or by going faster than them: shake off somebody: · Mailer disappeared into a dark basement, hoping to shake off the gang.shake somebody off: · You're going to have to drive faster if you want to shake them off.
to successfully escape after a crime, leaving no signs to show where you are: · Police have found the helicopters that the terrorists used to make their getaway.make a clean getaway (=to escape leaving no signs to show where you are): · The robbers hopped into a waiting car and made a clean getaway.
formal to cleverly avoid being found or caught by someone, especially for a long time: · Despite a $25,000 reward on his head, he continues to elude the authorities.elude capture: · Lt. Forney managed to elude capture by enemy forces for several weeks.
when someone escapes when someone escapes from prison, from danger, or from someone who is chasing them: · They had planned their escape very carefully.· "Tunnel to Tanto Grande" is the story of a daring escape staged by political prisoners in Peru.escape from: · Until his escape from the camps, he was beaten nearly every day by his captors.narrow escape (=when you only just escape from danger): · It was a narrow escape - a couple of minutes later the whole place went up in flames.
also jailbreak American an escape from a prison, especially one that involves several prisoners and is done using violence: · Prison governors met today to discuss ways of preventing similar breakouts in the future.· As many as 20 guards may have been involved in the jailbreak.breakout from: · There was a mass breakout from a city center prison yesterday.
someone who has escaped use this to describe someone who has escaped , especially from a prison: · Police are on the lookout for three escaped prisoners.· Sherwood, an escaped convict, hunted down his ex-girlfriend and killed her.
someone who is on the loose or at large has escaped from the police or from a prison and is likely to be dangerous: · There's a killer on the loose, and we've got to find him.· Carillo's murderer remained at large yesterday as investigators continued their search.
someone who is on the run is trying to hide or escape from someone who is chasing them, especially the police: · After the train robbery he spent three years on the run.be on the run from: · Dean was a drug addict who was constantly on the run from the police.
someone who has escaped from the police or from danger, who has to keep moving from one place to another so that they will not be caught: · Porter escaped in 1995 and remains a fugitive.fugitive from: · a fugitive from Stalin's oppressive regime
to escape from a difficult/embarrassing/boring situation to get out of a difficult, embarrassing, or boring situation: · He decided to tell me all about his trip to Majorca, and I just couldn't get away.· Let's see if we can escape before the speeches start.
formal to escape from an embarrassing or difficult situation: · Once they realized that I had been lying, it was almost impossible to extricate myself.extricate yourself from: · At that time, the US was on the verge of extricating itself from the unpopular war.
to escape from an unpleasant or embarrassing situation by giving explanations, making excuses etc: · I don't know how she's going to talk her way out of this one.· Phil never does his homework, but he always manages to talk his way out of it.
unable to escape · I've locked all the doors and windows - he can't get out.· Two of the children couldn't escape, and died in the fire.
unable to escape from a dangerous place or an unpleasant situation: · The miners have been trapped underground for three days.· He was beginning to feel trapped in his job.· The two trapped firefighters were rescued on the second day.
especially spoken to be unable to escape from an unpleasant or boring situation: be stuck in/with/here: · I don't want to be stuck in an office all my life.· I'm tired of being stuck here with the kids all day.
informal to be unable to leave a place, so that you feel bored or very impatient: be cooped up in: · I didn't want to be cooped up in a small hotel room, while everyone else enjoyed the sea.be cooped up with: · I don't know how she survives being cooped up with three screaming kids all day!
used to say that there does not seem to be any way of escaping from a dangerous or unpleasant place or situation: · Don't even try to get out of here - there's no escape.there is no escape from: · There seems to be no escape from the noise and confusion of city life.
to be unable to escape, or feel too frightened to escape, from the place where you are or from an unpleasant situation: · Some of these old people are imprisoned in their own homes by the threat of violence on the streets.
to be unable to escape, for example from a place, an unpleasant situation, or your own thoughts and opinions, so that you feel you cannot do anything to change things: · The door was locked from the outside, and suddenly they realized they were prisoners.be a prisoner of: · In some respects I'm a prisoner of my past - I don't feel I can just start over.
what you say when you think someone should admit something say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true: · Let's face it, the England team are not good enough to beat Holland.· People are basically selfish, let's face it.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : there's no getting around it: · There's no getting around it - we'll have to start again from the beginning.there's no getting around the fact that: · There's no getting around the fact that most people prefer to travel to work in their own cars, rather than by bus or train.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : · We cannot escape the fact that Mr. Mireki's death arose from a job-related activity.· You can't escape the fact that we all have to die some day.
to avoid something bad that could happen to you to make sure that something bad does not happen to you, either by doing something or by deliberately not doing something: · You can avoid a lot of problems if you use travellers' cheques.· The book is intended to help students avoid common errors.· The driver of the car said he tried to brake to avoid the accident, but it was already too late. · Police were anxious to avoid any ugly scenes when the two boys made their first appearance in court nine days ago.
also get round something British informal to find a way of avoiding a difficult or unpleasant situation, so that you do not have to deal with it: · There's no way of getting around it - you're going to have to tell her the truth.· If we can get round these difficulties, we'll be able to discuss the really important points.
: escape death/injury/punishment to avoid being killed, hurt, or punished: · Somehow he managed to escape serious injury.· Many young offenders escape punishment completely.narrowly escape something (=almost not escape): · The train ran out of control, and the passengers narrowly escaped death.
to suddenly forget something spoken use this to say that you know a name or word, but you are having difficulty remembering it at that moment: · That place we visited in Paris, what's it called? It's on the tip of my tongue.
spoken if a name, detail, fact etc escapes you, you forget it for a very short time but you know you will remember it soon: · I know I've heard this song before but its name escapes me.· Although I know that the novel was published in the nineteenth century, the actual date escapes me.
spoken if you can't place someone or something, you recognize them but have forgotten their name or where you met them before: · I'm sure I've seen him before, but I just can't place him.· Her perfume seemed so familiar but he couldn't place it
if your mind goes blank you are suddenly unable to remember something at a time when you need it: · That's... Oh, my mind's gone blank -- I can't remember her name.· My mind goes blank when I have to take a test.
British to forget what you were going to say or what you are supposed to say when speaking or acting, especially because you are nervous: · I dried up just as I was about to talk, even though I had been preparing the speech for weeks.· There was one worrying moment where one of the actors seemed to dry up for a few seconds.
if details, a piece of information etc go in one ear and out the other , you forget them very quickly because you are not interested or not listening properly: · She understands nothing about football so it all goes in one ear and out the other.· He was trying to explain the assignment to me but it just went in one ear and out the other.
to leave after doing something wrong or illegal to leave after doing something wrong or illegal without being caught: · Police surrounded the building, but somehow the gunman managed to escape.escape from: · He was one of nine men who escaped from prison in July.escape through/by etc: · Four prisoners escaped through a hole in the fence.escape with: · Thieves escaped with jewelry and $130,000 in cash.
to succeed in leaving after doing something wrong or illegal, especially after being chased: · We ran after the mugger as fast as we could, but he got away.· He got away down a back alley.get away with: · Thieves got away with silver and several valuable paintings, including one by Picasso.
to leave quickly after a crime, especially in a way that you have arranged: · The robbers made their getaway in a stolen car, which was waiting for them outside the bank.
to not notice something · "Does Alex like your new hairstyle?" "He didn't even notice."· I saw Mike in town but he didn't notice me.not notice (that) · He was so wrapped up in his studying that he didn't notice that the phone was ringing.· She didn't notice her jewelry box was missing until after the police had left.not notice how/who/what etc · We were so busy we didn't notice how late it was.
to not notice something because it is difficult to see: · She missed the exit and had to turn around.· Jo spotted a mistake that everyone else had missed.· It's easy to miss the entrance - the sign is hidden behind a tree.
to not notice something because you have not been careful enough: · They found some important evidence that the police had overlooked.· Make a list of what you need to bring so you don't overlook anything.it's easy to overlook somebody/something: · The Hotel les Tipaniers, practically hidden between two much larger hotels, is easy to overlook but worth finding.
written to not notice something, especially when this could have a serious result: · Atkinson failed to notice the car ahead of him was parked and drove straight into the back of it.· They were not prepared for his second heart attack, having failed to notice the warning signs.· There was a growing resentment among inmates which the prison authorities had either failed to notice or just ignored.
if a fact escapes somebody's notice , they do not notice it, especially when they should have noticed it: · This problem has completely escaped his notice.· I'm amazed that there are so many restaurants in Tucson that have completely escaped my notice over the years.
: go/pass/escape etc unnoticed happen without anyone noticing: · The death of the former movie star passed unnoticed.· There were a lot of people at the party, which made it easy for Gary to slip away unnoticed.· Gradual hearing loss often goes unnoticed until substantial damage is done.
secretly, without being seen: · The royal couple arrived unseen in an unmarked car.· He managed to creep out of the house unseen and slip out through the garden.
to not die in spite of an accident, illness, or war · Only 12 of the 140 passengers on the plane survived.· Doctors predicted that the baby would not survive with such severe disabilities.· My grandmother wouldn't survive another operation.· Not many of the insects survive the winter.
someone who has survived an accident, war, illness etc: · So far rescue workers have found no sign of any survivors.· Survivors of the accident were rushed to the nearest hospital.sole survivor (=the only survivor): · An eight-month-old baby girl was the sole survivor of a car crash that killed both her parents.
to continue to live and not die when you are in a very dangerous situation, for example in a war or when you have very little food: · They managed to stay alive by eating roots and berries.· We had to ignore the terrible things going on around us, and just concentrate on staying alive.
to survive and get better after having a very serious illness or injury: · I was so ill that the doctors weren't sure if I was going to pull through.· The first few days after the accident were awful, and everyone was just praying he'd pull through.
to survive after being involved in a serious accident, especially because of good luck: · The driver was killed but his passenger escaped with only a few scratches.escape injury/death etc: · The family escaped injury when a fire gutted their two-bedroom apartment.narrowly escape (=only just escape): · The prime minister narrowly escaped a terrorist bomb in 1999.
if you say that someone will live , you mean that they will survive, even though they have a very serious illness, injury etc: · One of the victims has severe burns and is not expected to live.live or die: · Our baby was in the intensive care unit, and we didn't know whether she would live or die.live to tell the tale/live to tell about it (=survive a very dangerous experience, so that you are able to tell people about it afterwards): · There were ten in the lifeboat, but only three lived to tell the tale.
informal to survive when you are in a very dangerous situation or when you have a very serious illness: · At one point I was so exhausted and weak that I didn't think I was going to make it.· I was surprised she had made it through the night.
if someone lasts a period of time, they continue to live during that period, even though they have a very serious illness or injury: · His breathing was getting worse and he was not expected to last the night.· It's amazing that she's managed to last this long, really.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meanings 1,2&3verbs
By flying low, the plane avoided detection by enemy radar. Acts of terrorism must not escape justice. A woman had a narrow escape yesterday when her car left the road. The girl managed to escape unharmed. The driver escaped unhurt from the accident. He escaped unscathed from the accident. The government was relatively unscathed by the scandal.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· Some prisoners tried to escape, but most were recaptured or shot.
nouns (=not be hurt)· Both drivers were lucky to escape serious injury.
(=not be caught and punished)· These terrorists must not be allowed to escape justice.
(=not be noticed)· Some insects manage to escape detection by merging with the background.
(=escape and not be caught be someone)· He managed to escape the men’s clutches and run off.
phrases (=only just avoid having something bad happen to you)· The firemen narrowly escaped being killed by the explosion.
(=escape and not be killed)· When the tunnel collapsed, the men were lucky to escape with their lives.
· Two policemen were killed, but the president escaped unharmed.
· The crew of the sinking vessel were lucky to escape alive.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· Over 100,000 civilians fled across the border.
(=avoid them)· I knew I’d made a mistake and that I couldn’t escape the consequences.
· A cry escaped her lips as he tightened his grip on her wrist.
(=avoid being killed)· He fell while climbing in the mountains, and only narrowly escaped death.
By flying low, the plane avoided detection by enemy radar.· Hundreds of people fled into exile or were jailed.
(=a hole in an aircraft etc through which you can escape)
· Two workmen narrowly escaped injury when a wall collapsed.
· The killer has escaped from jail.
Acts of terrorism must not escape justice.· The defendant escaped liability by proving that he had taken all possible measures to avoid the accident.
A woman had a narrow escape yesterday when her car left the road. (=not be noticed by someone)· It had not escaped his notice that Phil seemed interested in Jean.
· Blake escaped from a Missouri prison last year.
· Soldiers arrived, looking for escaped prisoners.
· He was lucky to escape prosecution.
· The thieves managed to escape punishment.
· The programmes help viewers escape from reality.
(=a way of leaving a building or place in an emergency such as a fire)· Check that your escape route is clear.
The girl managed to escape unharmed. The driver escaped unhurt from the accident. He escaped unscathed from the accident. The government was relatively unscathed by the scandal.· For a moment Trent and Mariana were held immobile, stunned by the incredible power from which they had so narrowly escaped.· During the war he narrowly escaped death dozens of times.· In 1949 he narrowly escaped the first of three attempts on his life.· Looking to her heart, she sees the chasm left by a death she narrowly escaped.· Harassed by the nomad Scythians, whom he could not catch, he narrowly escaped the fate of Cyrus.· Knowingly or not, others have narrowly escaped Pottker.· He addressed a crowd of his civilian supporters at Baabda on Oct. 12, when he only narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.· In both cases, the journalists narrowly escaped injury but the houses from which they had been transmitting were devastated.
NOUN· A last desperate attempt to escape into the murky waters.· Despite his bulk, he jumped several fences in a last-ditch attempt to escape.· None of the men made any attempt to escape when they struggled, subdued and shaken, on to the bank.· Victor had apparently made no attempt to escape.· The theory of the global system based on transnational practices is an attempt to escape from the limitations of state-centrism.· Mould talked about some of his previous attempts to escape.· I pull my battledress jacket over my head in a forlorn attempt to escape from the tiny tormentors; sleep is impossible.· These are the remains of unfortunate wretches driven to kill themselves in a futile attempt to escape the torments of the Castle.
· Phillips was first to go after an off-the-ball incident that escaped the attention of most people in the ground.· Of these, the best known is the Everglade kite, which escaped attention even longer than the crocodile.· A single vote, wasted votes and used votes Nothing escapes attention so easily as the obvious.· But the counterproductive nature of this policy gesture can not escape attention.· Developments in primary care Primary care did not escape the attention of the Thatcher government either.· By waiting until the last minute, donors can sometimes escape attention in the hectic time before an election.· The Government's actions regarding observance of the law do not escape attention by ordinary people.· Life has slowed down so drastically for him that Blue is now able to see things that have previously escaped his attention.
· His hopes of a chance to escape soared.· If he had some sinister purpose, then why would he offer me a chance to escape?· Reason and conscience both told me that if I were ever to have any chance of escaping successfully this was that chance.· I just couldn't keep away from her when I got the chance to escape from Rocamar the other day.· The chance to escape from the daily drudgery in the pits must have been more than attractive.· Now might be her best chance to escape while Peter was still away.· Sikes and Nancy gave him no chance to escape and Oliver had no breath to call out for help.· Anyway, more importantly, this was my last chance to escape.
· Both occupants escaped serious injury but aircraft is a write-off.· Both riders walked away and escaped serious injury.· Taylor was left badly bruised down his right side-from leg to shoulder-but escaped without permanent injuries.· Some workers, their faces blackened by the acrid smoke, fled in panic, escaping injury.· Goreng had escaped injury entirely, being just outside the radius of harm.· Despite the violence, the prisoner escaped injury and was sent to the state penitentiary.· It shattered the window but the glass held and he escaped injury.· In both cases, the journalists narrowly escaped injury but the houses from which they had been transmitting were devastated.
· Lucky you were to escape with your lives, let alone your horse.· I imagined that these characters were popular because they reflected the frustration of those who couldn't escape their lives either.· It was impossible to escape an impression of lives deeply disturbed and unhappy.· The injured woman was lucky to escape with her life.· The Great Idea had become a major disaster, she had been lucky to escape with her life.· I've been escaping all my life.
· The fact that closing date for entries was 28 January seems to have escaped its notice.· This discourtesy did not escape the notice of the press.· If this has escaped your notice then read on!· It may have escaped your notice, but the biggest of seasonal shifts happened last night.· Anything positioned beneath the tilt of her chin seemed to escape her notice.· The farm was so cut off from the world, even big stories like that one escaped our notice.· It hasn't escaped my notice that you've gone from five-star hotels to virtual slums.· Has it escaped their notice that last Thursday was the first really warm and sunny day of the year?
· John's face seemed to come alive and his spirit escaped the prison of the photograph releasing brief images of happy times.· By learning and practicing the basics, Dan had escaped the prison of his handicap for ever.· Colin Wood escaped from prison in 1994 and spent three years on the run before he was tracked down in Alabama.· Calderon had escaped from state prison.· He escaped a prison sentence after magistrates heard he was seeking help for his drink problem.· Light leaped out through the door, escaped from prison at 186, 000 miles per second.· Each of them had attempted to escape from another prison at least once.
· A prisoner had escaped from Auschwitz and ten prisoners were required to die in the starvation bunker - block 13.· He was the only prisoner ever to successfully escape.· The prisoners who escaped invariably turned up at their homes, where they were given accommodation, food and clothing.· Despite the violence, the prisoner escaped injury and was sent to the state penitentiary.· It did not belong to the prisoners who had escaped that day.
· He found the panel that would open the way to escape.· Now Jack sees a way to escape from it all by faking his death in a house fire.· The only way to escape this tyranny is to abandon the house.· He later claimed that he simply refused to mount it and in that way escaped death.· There was no way to escape.· People have found ways to escape ill-fitting jobs, start training programs, or enter graduate school.· There is no altogether painless way of escaping from a pay-as-you-go scheme, particularly if you want people to make substitute provision.
VERB· This meant that substantial building-up would be needed, to allow the water to escape.· He was seeking a skill to allow him to escape an impoverished background.· If there is heavy rain, the spillways must be enlarged to allow the floodwater to escape before the dam bursts.· Or, perhaps, nothing allowed him to escape.· As well as dilating, the capillaries become more permeable and allow fluid to escape into the tissues, which produces swelling.· He's allowed her to escape.· Avoid moisture based products which swell the hair and allow the pigment to escape.· Such leaks were important because they could allow radiation to escape.
· Instead she takes part in his piracy and gains meaning for life, before she helps him escape.· April fled in the night to her sweetheart, Roland, begging him to help her escape the now enraged witch.· Luckily Joseph was able to grease a few palms, thus helping his brother to escape.· A promising young lawyer assigned to defend a murder suspect finds her client so appealing, she helps him escape.· I wanted people, a friend, somebody to talk to ... somebody who could help me escape from my island.· She was pleased to see that the 460 uses unleaded fuel, helping her bid to escape the city smoke.· Oxfam is trying to help these families escape from their hand to mouth existence.
· The girl managed to run off but the man repeated the attack and again she managed to escape.· Prison officials are investigating how he managed to escape from the maximum-security facility.· Crazy Horse and most of his band managed to escape.· Ivor Stokle and Pauline Leyshon managed to escape from the car, but suffered horrific burns.· An investigation into how he managed to escape so easily is now under way.· He refused and although the base was destroyed, Al-Makesh and Bernard managed to escape.· I manage to escape without answering.
· Nevertheless, it has become established as the only real alternative for organisations seeking to avoid or escape proprietary, single-vendor systems.· Instead, fear of death pursued him as he sought to escape the threats from Jezebel.· For forty years villagers have streamed into its fetid blocks, seeking to escape rural poverty.· However the individual parts are mutually repellent and while attached to the dirt also seek to escape their neighbours.
· However, the fun-lover is motivated by a fear of pain, which he or she tries to escape.· The child is trying to escape and avoid the very exercises you are doing to reverse the underlying difficulty!· In my sixth year I did make myself a smaller canoe, but I did not try to escape in it.· White told how he had repeatedly tried to escape, been twice captured, twice imprisoned, finally condemned to death.· He pushed his chair back from the table as if trying to escape.· Or gas before he backed himself into a corner and tried to escape by means of the faro table.· I tried to escape, so did my uncle.· Then they set the church on fire and gunned down those who tried to escape.
· This, though, does arouse pity for Blanche as she does want to escape, by marrying Mitch.· In short, they want to escape into and actually experience the period.· She wants to escape from home, and the least we can do is to let her stay here for a while.· Depression wakes us up early and interferes with sleep, but sadness makes us want to escape into sleep.· If you want to escape you will know where to run to.· Students prone to violence are what everyone, rich and poor, wants to escape.· She just wanted to escape back to her cottage, her solitary existence.· People will become desperate and they will want to escape.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► block somebody’s way/path/exit/escape etc
- He said that very little escapes his attention.
- Life has slowed down so drastically for him that Blue is now able to see things that have previously escaped his attention.
- Nor should the similarities in the broader dimensions of the problem of youth employment escape our attention.
- Richie had the feeling that something had escaped his attention.
- There he might hope to hide in the depths, to escape our attentions.
- Virtually no country escaped its attentions.
- Angel One and his followers had made good their escape.
- At all events the pursuit came to a sudden halt and Henry was able to make good his escape in peace.
- By the time they had sorted out the confusion and given chase, the woman had made good her escape.
- He opened the door and prepared to make good his escape.
- Instead, she made good her escape, bolting the galley door so that he could not follow her.
- Only the timely arrival of a window-cleaner enabled Branson to make good his escape.
- Salim makes good his escape on the steamer - bound, we take it, for his bride.
- The next morning it was found that General Sedgwick had made good his escape and removed his bridges...
- But he has also seen the loss of life and the narrow escapes.
- He is a veteran of numerous firefights and narrow escapes who has shown notable serenity throughout the siege.
- He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.
- His narrow escape at Petit-Clamart finally convinced the General that it was time to take action to meet both dangers at once.
- It had been a narrow escape and I was impressed.
- The driver launches forward for a narrow escape.
- The hours of liberty are long, full of wonder and narrow escapes, precautions, hidden devices and daring.
- They have no time for self-congratulation on their narrow escape.
WORD FAMILYnounescapeescapismescapeeescapologistadjectiveescapedinescapableescapistverbescapeadverbinescapably
1person/place [intransitive] to leave a place when someone is trying to catch you or stop you, or when there is a dangerous situation: He broke down the locked door and escaped.escape from/through/over etc He escaped from prison in October.escape to She escaped to Britain in 1938.2danger [intransitive, transitive] to get away from a dangerous or bad situationescape with He escaped with minor injuries.escape unhurt/unscathed/unharmed etc A boy escaped unhurt when the fire in his room exploded. They went to the hills to escape the summer heat.escape somebody’s clutches (=escape from someone) The youth was trying to escape the clutches of two drunken female companions.3avoid [intransitive, transitive] to avoid something bad or that you do not want to happen: He narrowly escaped death in an avalanche. The two passengers escaped serious injury. They must not be allowed to escape justice. It seemed impossible he would escape detection.4gas/liquid etc [intransitive] if gas, liquid, light, heat etc escapes from somewhere, it comes out: Vents allow any steam to escape if the system overheats.5sound [intransitive, transitive] literary if a sound escapes from someone, they accidentally make that sound: A small laugh escaped her.escape from Holman let a weary sigh escape from his lips.6 escape somebody’s attention/notice if something escapes your attention or notice, you do not see it or realize that it is there7 the name/date/title etc escapes somebody used to say that someone cannot remember something: For some reason which escapes me, we had to take a taxi.8 there’s no escaping (the fact) used to emphasize that something is definitely important or will definitely happen: There’s no escaping the fact that work has profound effects on emotions and health.COLLOCATIONS– Meanings 1,2&3verbstry/attempt to escape· Some prisoners tried to escape, but most were recaptured or shot.nounsescape injury (=not be hurt)· Both drivers were lucky to escape serious injury.escape justice (=not be caught and punished)· These terrorists must not be allowed to escape justice.escape detection (=not be noticed)· Some insects manage to escape detection by merging with the background.escape somebody’s clutches (=escape and not be caught be someone)· He managed to escape the men’s clutches and run off.phrasesnarrowly escape something (=only just avoid having something bad happen to you)· The firemen narrowly escaped being killed by the explosion.escape with your life (=escape and not be killed)· When the tunnel collapsed, the men were lucky to escape with their lives.escape unharmed/unscathed/unhurt· Two policemen were killed, but the president escaped unharmed.escape alive· The crew of the sinking vessel were lucky to escape alive.THESAURUSescape to leave a place when someone is trying to catch you or stop you, or when there is a dangerous situation: · The thief escaped through an upstairs window.· She managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.get away to escape from someone who is chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you will be caught. Get away is more informal than escape: · The robbers got away but left plenty of clues at the scene.· Don’t let him get away!break free/break away to escape from someone who is holding you: · She broke free and started running.flee written to leave somewhere very quickly in order to escape from danger: · Many people were forced to flee the country.· The two men fled before police arrived.get out to escape from a building or room: · I was locked in the room and couldn’t get out.break out to escape from prison: · The jail is so secure that no one has ever broken out of it.abscond formal to escape from a prison or institution where you are supposed to stay: · Three prisoners who absconded have still not been found.· He absconded from a psychiatric hospital.escape1 verbescape2 noun
escapeescape2 ●●○ S3 noun EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "Tunnel to Tanto Grande" the story of a daring escape staged by political prisoners in Peru.
- Books are a good form of escape.
- It was a narrow escape - a couple of minutes later the whole place went up in flames.
- Methane blocks the escape of heat from the atmosphere.
- The fireman said they'd had a very lucky escape.
- The gang had planned their escape thoroughly.
- There is no escape from the difficulties of growing up.
- They had planned their escape very carefully.
- Until his escape from the camps, he was beaten nearly everyday by his captors.
- McClellan considered Malvern Hill not so much a victory as another escape from disaster.
- Most of the money was spent within a month of the escape.
- Salim makes good his escape on the steamer - bound, we take it, for his bride.
- Some parts of the Bill are relevant to an attempted escape.
- There is no escape from the physical nor is there any escape from the mind.
- This gives the bird only about 10 seconds to make its escape from a wide bodied Boeing 747.
- Visitors who come with only escape on their minds usually leave with a Chan Chich bird list.
Longman Language Activatorto escape from somewhere where you are in danger
to get away from a place, country etc where you are in danger, especially when it is difficult to do this because someone is trying to catch you or stop you leaving: · Only four people managed to escape before the roof collapsed.· The refugees have crossed miles of desert to escape civil war and famine.escape from: · Josie managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.escape into/through/over etc: · Some people were able to escape over the border into Tanzania.· When the army began killing civilians in the town, he was able to escape through the jungle.
to escape from a place or country when there is a serious risk that something bad will happen very soon: · Eventually we realized there was no way of getting out.· A few people managed to get out before the government crackdown.get out of: · All US tourists and journalists are being advised to get out of the country as soon as possible.get out alive: · The whole building was on fire - we were lucky to get out alive!
to try to escape from someone by running away: · Don't run away - I'm not going to hurt you.· Delia managed to get away from the man and ran off screaming.run away/run off from: · If you run away from the bull, it's almost certain to attack you.run away/run off into/down/across etc: · He jumped out of the car and ran off into the woods.
to suddenly run away very quickly, as soon as you have a chance, especially because you are very frightened: · One of the horses got into a panic and bolted.· When police approached him to ask him some questions, he bolted.bolt across/into/out etc: · Before I could say a word, she turned and bolted out the front door.
informal to suddenly run away very quickly because you are in danger of being caught, especially when you are doing something illegal: · Somebody's coming. Quick, run for it.· There's no way we can beat them - we're going to have to make a run for it.
to escape as quickly as possible because you are in great danger - used especially in newspapers: · When police arrived, the two men fled.flee from/to/into etc: · Most of the women there were Somalis fleeing from the civil war.· Up to five million political refugees have fled to other countries.flee the country/the city etc: · Rollins tried to flee the country but was stopped at the airport.
to escape from a place or a dangerous situation, especially when you do this quickly and secretly, as soon as you have a chance: · He made his escape by climbing through the window and down the fire escape.· The hostages spent days waiting for the opportunity to make their escape.
to escape by running away very quickly - used especially in stories: · The kids immediately took to their heels as Mrs Brewster appeared around the corner.· He jumped off the train, took to his heels, and was quickly out of sight.
to escape from someone who is holding you: · She wanted to break away, but his grip was too strong.· With a violent twist he broke free and ran out of the room.break free/break away from: · Then Tammy broke free from Judd and ran for the door screaming.
to escape from an aircraft that is going to crash: · The pilot bailed out of the aircraft just in time and was only slightly injured.
to escape from a prison or from where someone is keeping you to escape from a prison or from a place where someone is keeping you: · Guards have been ordered to shoot anyone trying to escape.escape from: · He escaped from prison in June, but was rearrested by police a month later.escape into/through/out etc.: · Grant had escaped through a bathroom window while in police custody.
to escape from a prison or from a building or room where you are being kept: · Some of the men were planning to break out.· The doors and windows are all firmly locked - I don't know how we're going to get out.break out/get out of: · In 1998 the two men broke out of jail and murdered a police officer.· No one has ever managed to get out of this prison alive.
to succeed in escaping from someone who is chasing you to succeed in escaping from someone who is trying to catch you: · It looks as if they've escaped. They're probably over the border by now.· So far the terrorists have managed to escape the police.escape from: · He ducked down an alley to escape from the mob that was chasing him.escape into/across/over etc: · Criminals generally know their neighborhood well, so it's not difficult for them to escape into the back streets.
to escape from someone who is chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you will be caught afterwards: · How could you let him get away!· Police believe the gunmen got away in a white Ford pickup.get away from: · Follow that car and don't let it get away from you.get clean away (=get away completely): · Detectives followed the man as far as the harbour, but then he jumped into a speedboat and got clean away.
informal to escape from someone who is chasing you by tricking them or doing something unexpected: · Watch him very carefully - he might try and give us the slip.· I wanted to talk to her before she left the hotel, but she gave me the slip.
to escape from someone who is chasing you or trying to find you by cleverly doing something that makes it impossible for them to know where you are: · He made the calls from different pay phones around the city to throw the police off the scent.
to escape from someone, especially someone who has been chasing you for a long time, for example by hiding or by going faster than them: shake off somebody: · Mailer disappeared into a dark basement, hoping to shake off the gang.shake somebody off: · You're going to have to drive faster if you want to shake them off.
to successfully escape after a crime, leaving no signs to show where you are: · Police have found the helicopters that the terrorists used to make their getaway.make a clean getaway (=to escape leaving no signs to show where you are): · The robbers hopped into a waiting car and made a clean getaway.
formal to cleverly avoid being found or caught by someone, especially for a long time: · Despite a $25,000 reward on his head, he continues to elude the authorities.elude capture: · Lt. Forney managed to elude capture by enemy forces for several weeks.
when someone escapes when someone escapes from prison, from danger, or from someone who is chasing them: · They had planned their escape very carefully.· "Tunnel to Tanto Grande" is the story of a daring escape staged by political prisoners in Peru.escape from: · Until his escape from the camps, he was beaten nearly every day by his captors.narrow escape (=when you only just escape from danger): · It was a narrow escape - a couple of minutes later the whole place went up in flames.
also jailbreak American an escape from a prison, especially one that involves several prisoners and is done using violence: · Prison governors met today to discuss ways of preventing similar breakouts in the future.· As many as 20 guards may have been involved in the jailbreak.breakout from: · There was a mass breakout from a city center prison yesterday.
someone who has escaped use this to describe someone who has escaped , especially from a prison: · Police are on the lookout for three escaped prisoners.· Sherwood, an escaped convict, hunted down his ex-girlfriend and killed her.
someone who is on the loose or at large has escaped from the police or from a prison and is likely to be dangerous: · There's a killer on the loose, and we've got to find him.· Carillo's murderer remained at large yesterday as investigators continued their search.
someone who is on the run is trying to hide or escape from someone who is chasing them, especially the police: · After the train robbery he spent three years on the run.be on the run from: · Dean was a drug addict who was constantly on the run from the police.
someone who has escaped from the police or from danger, who has to keep moving from one place to another so that they will not be caught: · Porter escaped in 1995 and remains a fugitive.fugitive from: · a fugitive from Stalin's oppressive regime
to escape from a difficult/embarrassing/boring situation to get out of a difficult, embarrassing, or boring situation: · He decided to tell me all about his trip to Majorca, and I just couldn't get away.· Let's see if we can escape before the speeches start.
formal to escape from an embarrassing or difficult situation: · Once they realized that I had been lying, it was almost impossible to extricate myself.extricate yourself from: · At that time, the US was on the verge of extricating itself from the unpopular war.
to escape from an unpleasant or embarrassing situation by giving explanations, making excuses etc: · I don't know how she's going to talk her way out of this one.· Phil never does his homework, but he always manages to talk his way out of it.
unable to escape · I've locked all the doors and windows - he can't get out.· Two of the children couldn't escape, and died in the fire.
unable to escape from a dangerous place or an unpleasant situation: · The miners have been trapped underground for three days.· He was beginning to feel trapped in his job.· The two trapped firefighters were rescued on the second day.
especially spoken to be unable to escape from an unpleasant or boring situation: be stuck in/with/here: · I don't want to be stuck in an office all my life.· I'm tired of being stuck here with the kids all day.
informal to be unable to leave a place, so that you feel bored or very impatient: be cooped up in: · I didn't want to be cooped up in a small hotel room, while everyone else enjoyed the sea.be cooped up with: · I don't know how she survives being cooped up with three screaming kids all day!
used to say that there does not seem to be any way of escaping from a dangerous or unpleasant place or situation: · Don't even try to get out of here - there's no escape.there is no escape from: · There seems to be no escape from the noise and confusion of city life.
to be unable to escape, or feel too frightened to escape, from the place where you are or from an unpleasant situation: · Some of these old people are imprisoned in their own homes by the threat of violence on the streets.
to be unable to escape, for example from a place, an unpleasant situation, or your own thoughts and opinions, so that you feel you cannot do anything to change things: · The door was locked from the outside, and suddenly they realized they were prisoners.be a prisoner of: · In some respects I'm a prisoner of my past - I don't feel I can just start over.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 1verbs By flying low, the plane avoided detection by enemy radar. Acts of terrorism must not escape justice. A woman had a narrow escape yesterday when her car left the road. The girl managed to escape unharmed. The driver escaped unhurt from the accident. He escaped unscathed from the accident. The government was relatively unscathed by the scandal.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· We planned our escape carefully and waited for just the right moment.
(also foil an escape formal) (=stop an escape)· Walker grabbed her firmly by the wrist, preventing any chance of escape.
formal (=to escape)· I had to make my escape before the guards returned.
escape + NOUN· She made several unsuccessful escape attempts before finally getting away.
· You should have an escape plan in the event of a fire.
· All their escape routes had been blocked.
phrases (=to only just avoid danger or difficulties)· The team had a narrow escape from relegation last season.
· We had a lucky escape when a tree crashed through the ceiling.
(=be extremely lucky to escape)· Ellie had miraculous escape after a firework exploded in her hand.
(=a way of escaping)· She searched in vain for a means of escape.
· The river offered our only hope of escape.
literary (=to succeed in escaping)· Dillinger handcuffed the deputy to the desk and made good his escape.
Meaning 2phrases (=a way of forgetting about a bad situation)· Drugs and alcohol are their only means of escape.
(=someone’s only chance of getting away from a bad situation)· Bankruptcy offered his only escape route from mounting debt.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· Over 100,000 civilians fled across the border.
(=avoid them)· I knew I’d made a mistake and that I couldn’t escape the consequences.
· A cry escaped her lips as he tightened his grip on her wrist.
(=avoid being killed)· He fell while climbing in the mountains, and only narrowly escaped death.
By flying low, the plane avoided detection by enemy radar.· Hundreds of people fled into exile or were jailed.
(=a hole in an aircraft etc through which you can escape)
· Two workmen narrowly escaped injury when a wall collapsed.
· The killer has escaped from jail.
Acts of terrorism must not escape justice.· The defendant escaped liability by proving that he had taken all possible measures to avoid the accident.
A woman had a narrow escape yesterday when her car left the road. (=not be noticed by someone)· It had not escaped his notice that Phil seemed interested in Jean.
· Blake escaped from a Missouri prison last year.
· Soldiers arrived, looking for escaped prisoners.
· He was lucky to escape prosecution.
· The thieves managed to escape punishment.
· The programmes help viewers escape from reality.
(=a way of leaving a building or place in an emergency such as a fire)· Check that your escape route is clear.
The girl managed to escape unharmed. The driver escaped unhurt from the accident. He escaped unscathed from the accident. The government was relatively unscathed by the scandal.· The journey represents the great escape from destruction; it is begun in time and ended beyond it.· Such a fellow is Colin Fletcher, long-distance trekker, amateur naturalist and past master of great escapes.· Boro manager Lennie Lawrence has a reputation for engineering great escapes and on this form he may achieve yet another.· Meanwhile Hereford's great escape from the relegation zone is going to plan - four games now without defeat.· Clutching the sheet, letting a great hollow groan escape me, I staggered back across the room.· With air-driven models, especially those that reach the tank bottom, the contact time is greater and little escapes.· Given the evidence against them, it must rank as one of the great escapes.
· Rangers, having just survived a lucky escape, launched their first attack.· They agreed they were quite lucky to escape the fire and set off for a foreign country.· My passenger had had a lucky escape that night; he had used his wits well and survived another fight.· She could never get over her lucky escapes.· One girl had a lucky escape when a fence post narrowly missed her head.· They had a really lucky escape.· He should not allow himself to wallow in it, however: hindsight may well suggest he has had a lucky escape.· A neighbour had a lucky escape, for she had left the couple's house just minutes before.
· Nottingham also dreamt of achieving a miraculous escape from relegation.· My family had been lucky, we had had a charmed life, we had made miraculous escapes.· They might have had a miraculous escape.· In this extremity he sought no miraculous escape, no sudden revelation of a known lake.· The police have described it as a miraculous escape.· It was here that the aircraft was involved with a miraculous escape after an in-flight fire raged through the aircraft.
· They have no time for self-congratulation on their narrow escape.· He is a veteran of numerous firefights and narrow escapes who has shown notable serenity throughout the siege.· His narrow escape at Petit-Clamart finally convinced the General that it was time to take action to meet both dangers at once.· But he has also seen the loss of life and the narrow escapes.· He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.· The driver launches forward for a narrow escape.· The hours of liberty are long, full of wonder and narrow escapes, precautions, hidden devices and daring.· It had been a narrow escape and I was impressed.
· For many people the only possible escape from their permanent state of poverty and malnourishment is to emigrate.· And in the instant of time available to him, he thought of the only place of possible escape from this nightmare.· So it is possible that avian death-feigning is tuned in to this one crucial moment of possible escape.· Together with the Vatican, United States operatives made possible the escape from justice of some of the worst mass-killers.
NOUN· He's made 2 escape attempts and had a reputation for persistent violence.· The home as an escape attempt Saunders, however, challenges this argument.· Oxford United continue their escape attempt.· Moral careers, escape attempts and front and back regions.
· He would act alone, but he would take care to provide himself with an escape clause.· Fourth, the escape clauses it provides are likely to be far from fully effective.· Here was the escape clause the board was looking for.· The film strives for a surface kind of cynicism, only to invoke the Love Conquers All escape clause in the end.· The metal employers' federation says half its members may resort to the escape clause.
· Taking hold of a strong branch, he finally cleared the escape hatch with his legs and dropped to the ground.· Unlike the cecropia and promethea moths, however, these two do not have built-in escape hatches for the emerging adults.· Some experts suggested that the escape hatch might have been damaged.· There was also an escape hatch in the inner hard cocoon.· Although normally kept shut, there is an escape hatch for the after cabin in each of the cockpit seats.· The two sides were now on a collision course: Khrushchev could not allow West Berlin to remain as an escape hatch.· Another escape hatch that Olson slams shut upon us is the device of distinguishing between Pound-the-man and Pound-the-poet.· Even more important, birth control has a crucial escape hatch.
· Reports of escape plans were denigrated by MI5.· They leave, the two cars follow the same escape plan they used at Danvers.· We kept in close contact and re-tested our escape plans.
· That is presumably the product of what we now know about the Brixton prison escape.
· Mr Letts tried to block their escape route and was mown down.· The governor posted his troops all along the escape routes.· The last side street which could have provided any escape route for the marchers was by now several hundred yards behind them.· After fleeing Illinois for Utah, the Mormons had always been obsessed with finding escape routes to the sea.· But unless escape routes have been allowed, that response will be thwarted.· I glanced back over my shoulder, at the same time looking for an escape route.· Appreciation that he had provided her with the escape route she had so badly sought?· We had planned our escape routes beforehand.
· As the star shrank, the gravitational field at the surface would become stronger and the escape velocity would increase.· Some of the gases from the explosion and fireball may reach escape velocity.· This critical speed is called the escape velocity.· A significant fraction of their water content can emerge from the explosion at a speed below the escape velocity of Mercury.· As the radius of the star is reduced the escape velocity increases until eventually it reaches the velocity of light.· In fact, it is traveling well above escape velocity.· Jupiter is a very massive planet, and its escape velocity is correspondingly high.· Even modest-sized impactors can blast atmospheric gases off of Mars at speeds above escape velocity.
VERB· He realized his mistake too late and when he turned back to the entrance Sabrina was already there, blocking his escape.· Harsh fortresses of prickly pears and shard grass and dead branches block off all escape.· Mr Letts tried to block their escape route and was mown down.· They are now both in front of her on the road, blocking any escape.· Swarms of wolf riders are often deployed ahead of the army's line of march to scout and block any route of escape.· Behind them a huge force of Orcs moved to block their escape.
· Humanity is already making plans for its escape.· But Solomon sat tight in his rain barrel, and after the cossacks had left empty-handed, he made his escape.· I did make my escape from Roundhay - by a route taken by many of my contemporaries: higher education.· As they made their escape one produced a handgun and warned the student not to follow them.· I decided to make my escape as soon as I could.· Salim makes good his escape on the steamer - bound, we take it, for his bride.
· The process approach offers a convenient escape from difficult value questions.· The words seemed to offer hope of escape from the agony on which he was skewered.· Elsie offered him an escape and, more importantly, it was a legitimate escape.· It offers an escape from the double bind of commentary pithily summarised by Foucault, in the passage I quoted just now.
· Once formed, the joints were internally sealed with pitch to prevent the escape of any obnoxious gases or liquids.· Horror stories include kids chained to looms to prevent escape.· Hold them tightly all the way home to prevent escape.· This prevents any escape across the open ground and many of the rabbits will become entangled in the net.· Each prisoner had a nylon noose around his neck to prevent escape.· Greenhouse gases trap heat and prevent its escape from the atmosphere into space.· It was decided to stop the car around junction 16 to minimise the danger to the public and prevent any escapes.· Nevertheless, he added, it had failed to take the necessary steps to prevent an escape of rainbow trout.
· Even when she was too tired to read she sought escape in romance-cubes she spent all her wages on at the Madreidetic shop.· The small fish broke into smaller shoals, desperately seeking escape.· Another week and the boats and banks of the Wannsee would be crowded with Berliners seeking a few hours of escape.· In this extremity he sought no miraculous escape, no sudden revelation of a known lake.· She threw Carla from her and looked around her wild-eyed, like an animal seeking an escape route.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► block somebody’s way/path/exit/escape etc
- He said that very little escapes his attention.
- Life has slowed down so drastically for him that Blue is now able to see things that have previously escaped his attention.
- Nor should the similarities in the broader dimensions of the problem of youth employment escape our attention.
- Richie had the feeling that something had escaped his attention.
- There he might hope to hide in the depths, to escape our attentions.
- Virtually no country escaped its attentions.
- Angel One and his followers had made good their escape.
- At all events the pursuit came to a sudden halt and Henry was able to make good his escape in peace.
- By the time they had sorted out the confusion and given chase, the woman had made good her escape.
- He opened the door and prepared to make good his escape.
- Instead, she made good her escape, bolting the galley door so that he could not follow her.
- Only the timely arrival of a window-cleaner enabled Branson to make good his escape.
- Salim makes good his escape on the steamer - bound, we take it, for his bride.
- The next morning it was found that General Sedgwick had made good his escape and removed his bridges...
- But he has also seen the loss of life and the narrow escapes.
- He is a veteran of numerous firefights and narrow escapes who has shown notable serenity throughout the siege.
- He was probably even now thanking his lucky stars for a narrow escape.
- His narrow escape at Petit-Clamart finally convinced the General that it was time to take action to meet both dangers at once.
- It had been a narrow escape and I was impressed.
- The driver launches forward for a narrow escape.
- The hours of liberty are long, full of wonder and narrow escapes, precautions, hidden devices and daring.
- They have no time for self-congratulation on their narrow escape.
WORD FAMILYnounescapeescapismescapeeescapologistadjectiveescapedinescapableescapistverbescapeadverbinescapably
1[countable, uncountable] the act of getting away from a place, or a dangerous or bad situation: The girl had no chance of escape. Christina hoped it wouldn’t be too long before she could make her escape.escape from the firm’s narrow escape from bankruptcy an escape route They had a lucky escape (=were lucky not to be hurt or killed) when a car crashed into the front of their house.2[singular, uncountable] a way of forgetting about a bad or boring situation for a short timeescape from Travel can be an escape from the routine drudgery of life.3[countable, uncountable] an amount of gas, liquid etc that accidentally comes out of the place where it is being kept, or an occasion when this happens: The lid prevents the escape of poisonous gases. → fire escapeCOLLOCATIONS– Meaning 1verbsplan an escape· We planned our escape carefully and waited for just the right moment.prevent an escape (also foil an escape formal) (=stop an escape)· Walker grabbed her firmly by the wrist, preventing any chance of escape.make your escape formal (=to escape)· I had to make my escape before the guards returned.escape + NOUNan escape attempt/bid· She made several unsuccessful escape attempts before finally getting away.an escape plan· You should have an escape plan in the event of a fire.an escape route· All their escape routes had been blocked.phraseshave a narrow escape (=to only just avoid danger or difficulties)· The team had a narrow escape from relegation last season.have a lucky escape· We had a lucky escape when a tree crashed through the ceiling.have a miraculous escape (=be extremely lucky to escape)· Ellie had miraculous escape after a firework exploded in her hand.a means of escape (=a way of escaping)· She searched in vain for a means of escape.a chance/hope/possibility of escape· The river offered our only hope of escape.make good your escape literary (=to succeed in escaping)· Dillinger handcuffed the deputy to the desk and made good his escape.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2phrasesa means of escape (=a way of forgetting about a bad situation)· Drugs and alcohol are their only means of escape.somebody’s escape route from something (=someone’s only chance of getting away from a bad situation)· Bankruptcy offered his only escape route from mounting debt.