Meaning of escape In English

• 0 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.

• 1 to press the key on a computer keyboard that allows you to leave a particular screen and return to the previous one or to interrupt a process:

  • Escape from this window and return to the main menu.

• 2 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.

  • an escape of radioactivity

• 3 something that helps you to forget about your usual life or problems:

  • Romantic novels provide an escape from reality.

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

  • Press Esc to return to the main menu.

• 5 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.

• 6 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).

  • [ C ] an escape of radioactive fuel

• 7 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.