escape
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avenue of escape
A way or path out of something. That beetle doesn't seem to know that his only avenue of escape is the open window. The fire was in the kitchen, so our only avenue of escape was through the front door. There was such a crush of people trying to get out the main exit that our only avenue of escape was through the kitchen.
escape (one's) notice
To avoid being seen. I doubt you will escape people's notice if you show up at the party in a floor-length sequined gown. The actress never hid her love of the spotlight. She only tried to escape the public's notice when her health began to decline. Do you really think the broken vase is just going to escape Mom's notice? Please.
escape by the skin of (one's) teeth
To manage to avoid or get free (from something) by an extremely narrow margin. The whole building exploded because of the gas leak. Thankfully, the crew escaped by the skin of their teeth. The judge ruled that the evidence relied on by the prosecution couldn't be used, meaning the company's CEO has escaped punishment by the skin of his teeth. Some tenants were able to escape the fire by the skin of their teeth, but others weren't so lucky.
escape clause
A clause or provision specifying the means by which or the conditions under which a party can be freed from the obligations of a contract. The fiscal arrangement includes an escape clause for countries to suspend their repayments in case of any kind of economic emergency. The football superstar managed to get an escape clause into his $35 million contract, meaning he'll be able to force the owners to sell him next year if he wants to move to a more successful team. Unfortunately, the deal is off—the buyer used their escape clause to back out of the deal.
escape fire
1. A fire created in an area of vegetation so as to create a path clear of fuel to avoid an oncoming wildfire. A lighter might seem like the last thing you'd need in the middle of a grasslands wildfire, but it saved my life when I used it to start an escape fire. OK, the escape fire I just started should wipe out any brush that the oncoming fire could burn through. No, an escape fire would not have helped at that point. The wildfire had gotten so big that we had to jump in the ocean in a last-ditch attempt to save ourselves.
2. By extension, any nonstandard, counterintuitive, or improvised solution to a problem that is too large or complex to be dealt with by traditional means. The country's welfare debt was so insurmountable that the government began looking at radical escape fires to manage the situation. Oh, it's bad—the situation has gotten to the point where company leaders are considering potential escape fires. I think an escape fire is the only thing that will save our country from climate change at this point.
escape the bear and fall to the lion
To avoid a frightening or problematic situation, only to end up in a worse one later. A: "After I swerved to avoid hitting a pedestrian, I wound up in oncoming traffic, and my car was totaled." B: "That's awful. You escaped the bear and fell to the lion." I dropped out of grad school to avoid racking up more student loan debt, only to become ill and fall into major medical debt. I guess I escaped the bear and fell to the lion. Because I would have taken a ball right to the face, I tried to get out of the way—but my foot got stuck and I tore ligaments in my knee. I tell ya, you escape the bear and fall to the lion.
have a lucky escape
To barely avoid danger or problems. That guy's so lucky to be alive—his car got stuck on the train tracks, and he had a very lucky escape! The police were hot on our tail, but we had a lucky escape after making a sharp turn on the highway! Boy, did I have a lucky escape—I managed to sneak out the window right before my girlfriend's dad came in!
have a narrow escape
To barely avoid danger or problems. That guy's so lucky to be alive—his car got stuck on the train tracks, and he had a very narrow escape! The police were hot on our tail, but we had a narrow escape after making a sharp turn on the highway! We're on our way back to the hideout now. Boy, did I have a narrow escape—I managed to sneak out the window right before my girlfriend's dad came in!
it escapes (one)
One can't quite remember something at the moment. I'm trying to remember why I came in here, but it escapes me. I wish I could remember what Sally said, but it escapes me right now. Which file did I need? Huh, it escapes me now.
See also: escape
Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.
proverb Those who commit small crimes will face the full consequences of the law, but those who commit crimes on a huge scale will go unpunished. So some guy who holds up a liquor store with a gun because his family can't afford food gets 30 years in prison, but a wealthy CEO who robs millions of people of their pensions gets a few months of community service? I tell you, little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.
lucky escape
A situation in which danger or problems are barely avoided. That guy barely made it over the tracks before the train came. What a lucky escape! The police were hot on our tail, but we had a lucky escape after making a sharp turn on the highway.
make good (one's) escape
To successfully escape from some place. The robber made good his escape through a secret back door in the building that was unknown to police.
narrow escape
A situation in which danger or problems are barely avoided. That guy barely made it over the tracks before the train came. What a narrow escape!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
avenue of escape
Fig. the pathway or route along which someone or something escapes. The open window was the bird's only avenue of escape from the house. Bill saw that his one avenue of escape was through the back door.
by the skin of one's teeth
Fig. just barely. (By an amount equal to the thickness of the (imaginary) skin on one's teeth.) I got through calculus class by the skin of my teeth. I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth. Lloyd escaped from the burning building by the skin of his teeth.
escape (from someone or something) (to some place)
to get away from someone, something, or some place to another place. Max escaped from prison to a hideout in Alabama. He escaped to Alabama from one of the worst-run prisons in the land.
escape someone's notice
Fig. to go unnoticed; not to have been noticed. (Usually a way to point out that someone has failed to see or respond to something.) I suppose my earlier request escaped your notice, so I'm writing again. I'm sorry. Your letter escaped my notice.
Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.
Prov. Truly expert criminals are never caught. Everyone's making such a fuss because they convicted that bank robber, but he must not have been a very dangerous criminal. Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
escape notice
Elude attention or observation, as in It must have escaped the editor's notice so I'll write again. [c. 1700]
narrow escape
A barely successful flight from or avoidance of danger or trouble, as in He had a narrow escape, since the bullet came within inches of his head. This expression uses narrow in the sense of "barely sufficient." [Late 1500s] For a newer synonym, see close call.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
escape somebody’s ˈnotice
not be noticed by somebody: It may have escaped your notice but I’m very busy right now. Can we talk later?make ˌgood your eˈscape
(written) manage to escape completely: In the confusion at the border, the woman made good her escape. ♢ He made good his escape from a crowd of journalists by jumping over a fence.a narrow eˈscape/ˈsqueak
a situation where somebody only just avoids injury, danger or failure: We had a narrow escape on the way here. The wind blew a tree down just in front of us. We could have been killed.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
by the skin of (one's) teeth
By the smallest margin.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.