Escaped

/ɪˈskeɪpt/

verbBeginnerCommonGeneral

Definitions

3 meanings
1

To break free from confinement or control; to avoid or get away from something.

/ɪˈskeɪpt/

verbneutralBeginner
General

To get away from a dangerous or unpleasant situation.

The dog escaped from the backyard.

💡 Simply: Think of it like this: you're playing hide-and-seek, and you're the one who gets away without being found! That's escaping! Like, "I escaped the rain by going indoors."

👶 For kids: To get away from something bad or scary, like a monster or being stuck somewhere.

More Examples

2

He escaped a speeding ticket by driving slowly.

3

She narrowly escaped injury in the accident.

How It's Used

General

"The prisoner escaped from jail."

Literary

"She escaped the clutches of her pursuer."

2

To manage to avoid a bad consequence.

/ɪˈskeɪpt/

verbneutralmedium
General

To avoid or manage to avoid something unpleasant.

They escaped serious injury in the car crash.

💡 Simply: It’s like narrowly missing something bad, like dodging a bad grade on a test or avoiding a traffic jam. For instance, “She escaped the flu this year by getting a vaccine.”

👶 For kids: To not have something bad happen to you, like when you don't get in trouble.

More Examples

2

He escaped detection for several months.

3

She escaped the consequences of her actions.

How It's Used

General

"He escaped criticism because he worked hard"

Financial

"They barely escaped bankruptcy"

Tip:Picture dodging an incoming object (escape).
3

To leak or flow out from a confined space.

/ɪˈskeɪpt/

verbneutralmedium
General

To leak or flow out.

Gas escaped from the broken pipe, creating a hazard.

💡 Simply: Imagine something like air from a balloon or water from a leaky faucet, escaping from where it was supposed to stay. For example, “The aroma of freshly baked bread escaped from the kitchen.”

👶 For kids: When something comes out of something else, like when air comes out of a balloon.

More Examples

2

The scent of lavender escaped from the sachet.

3

The prisoner escaped custody by bribing the guards.

How It's Used

Technical

"Gas escaped from the damaged pipe."

Scientific

"The scent escaped from the vial."

Tip:Think of gas leaking from a container (escape).

Idioms & expressions

escape artist

A person skilled at escaping from confinement.

"The magician was a famous escape artist."

From Middle English escapen, from Old French escaper ('to escape, flee'), from Vulgar Latin *cappa ('cloak, cape'), perhaps referring to slipping away unnoticed under a cloak.

The word 'escape' has been used in English since the 13th century, initially meaning to 'flee, get away'.

Memory tip

Imagine a person breaking free from a cage (escape).

escpapedescaapedescaped

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written