Definition of “escape” - English Dictionary

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“escape” in English

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escapeverb

uk ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/ us ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/

escape verb (GET FREE)

B1 [ I or T ] to get free from something, or to avoid something:

Two prisoners have escaped.
A lion has escaped from its cage.
She was lucky to escape serious injury.
He narrowly (= only just) escaped a fine.
His name escapes me (= I have forgotten his name).
Nothing important escapes her notice/attention.

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Idiom(s)

there's no escaping the fact

escapenoun

uk ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/ us ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/

escape noun (GET FREE)

C1 [ C or U ] the act of successfully getting out of a place or a dangerous or bad situation:

He made his escape on the back of a motorcycle.
an escape route
They had a narrow escape (= only just avoided injury or death) when their car crashed.

› [ C ] a loss that happens by accident:

an escape of radioactivity

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(Definition of “escape” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“escape” in American English

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escapeverb [ I/T ]

us ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/

› to become free or get free from, or to avoid something:

[ I ] to escape from prison/a burning house
[ T ] The book’s faults have not escaped the notice of (= not been avoided being noticed by) critics.

escapenoun [ C/U ]

us ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/

› the act or possibility of becoming free or getting away from a place where you are kept esp. by force, or of avoiding a dangerous situation:

[ C ] The blast knocked me down – it was a narrow escape (= I was almost hurt badly).

› An escape is also an unintentional loss:

[ C ] an escape of radioactive fuel

(Definition of “escape” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“escape” in Business English

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escapenoun [ U ]

uk ​ /ɪˈskeɪp/ us ​ often Escape, also escape key, abbreviation Esc IT

› the key on a computer keyboard which allows you to leave a particular screen and return to the previous one or to interrupt a process:

Press Escape to return to the main menu.
To exit the program, use Esc.

(Definition of “escape” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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