escape

I UK [ɪˈskeɪp] / US verb
Word forms "escape":
present tense I/you/we/they escape he/she/it escapes present participle escaping past tense escaped past participle escaped
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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.

a) [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.

b) [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.

c) [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.

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.

a) [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.

b) [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.

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.

4)

a) [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.

b) literary to come out of your mouth, although you did not intend it to

A weary sigh escaped from her lips.

5) [intransitive] informal to go away on holiday

We're hoping to escape to the Algarve in May.

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- there's no escaping the fact that

II UK [ɪˈskeɪp] / US noun
Word forms "escape":
singular escape plural escapes
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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.

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.

3) [countable] an amount of gas or liquid that escapes from a container

escape of:

There was a rapid escape of gas.

4) [countable] an occasion when you go away on holiday

5) [uncountable] the escape key on a computer

Press escape to return to the main menu.

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have a narrow/lucky escape — to avoid being killed or seriously injured only because you were lucky or made a very big effort

A couple had a narrow escape when a tree fell just in front of their car.