rescue Hear it!

rescue Definition

res·cue (res′kyo̵̅o̅)

transitive verb -·cued, -·cu·ing

  1. to free or save from danger, imprisonment, evil, etc.
  2. Law to take (a person or thing) out of legal custody by force

Etymology: ME rescuen < OFr rescourre < re-, again + escorre, to shake, move < L excutere, to shake off, drive away < ex-, off + quatere, to shake: see quash

noun

the act or an instance of rescuing; deliverance

rescue Related Forms

res′·cu·able adjective res′·cuer noun

rescue Synonyms

rescue

n.

  1. The act of rescuing

    deliverance, saving, release, extrication, liberation, ransom, redemption, salvation, reclamation, reclaiming, emancipation, disentanglement, disembarrassment, recovering, heroism; see also freeing.

  2. An instance of rescue

    deed, feat, performance, exploit, accomplishment, heroics; see also achievement 2.

rescue Synonyms

rescue

v.

  1. To save from danger or evil

    save, preserve, recover, redeem, recapture, salvage, reclaim, retain, keep back, safeguard, protect, retrieve, withdraw, take to safety, come to the aid of, relieve, bail out*; see also save 1.

    Antonyms abandon, let slip from one's hands, relinquish.

  2. To free

    deliver, liberate, extricate, release, emancipate, ransom, set free, unloose, put at liberty, unleash, manumit; see also free 1, ransom.

    Antonyms imprison*, capture*, jail.

rescue implies prompt action in freeing someone or something from imminent danger or destruction or in releasing someone from captivity the lifeguard rescued the drowning child; deliver implies a setting free from confinement or from some restricting situation deliver me from those interminable sermons; redeem suggests a freeing from bondage or from the consequences of sin, or a reclaiming, as from pawn or deterioration how can I redeem my good name?; ransom specifically implies the payment of what is demanded in order to free one held captive; save, in this connection, is a general, comprehensive synonym for any of the preceding terms

rescue Law Definition

n

The aiding of someone who is in immediate and serious peril; the unlawful release (usually by force) of a person who is legally imprisoned or under arrest.

rescue Usage Examples

Object

  • hostage: To win the map the CT's must infiltrate the American embassy and rescue the hostages kept within.
  • survivor: Portwey and other vessels went out to assist in rescuing survivors.
  • princess: A talking donkey and an ogre rescue the princess ( who can Kick her way out of trouble!
  • damsel: In it you play the part of a journalist living in 1930s England as he solves mysteries and rescues damsels in distress.
  • greyhound: Brenda was very sensitive and caring as many of you know she rescued an retired racing Greyhound called Sunny.
  • hedgehog: The Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee backed UHR's plans to rescue the hedgehogs and relocate them to waiting homes on the mainland.

Preposition: as

strays: It is open to cats rescued as strays by their current owner or felines adopted from any animal welfare organization.

Adjective modifier

  • daring: Show no fear in the face of vicious fire flights, nail-biting recon missions and daring rescues behind enemy lines.
  • heroic: Trade secrets From new bikinis to heroic rescues, lifeguards have a lot to think about.

Modifies a noun

  • helicopter: She was taken by RAF rescue helicopter to hospital.
  • mission: The story is about a group of American Marines on a rescue mission.
  • excavation: Looks at the excavation of an Anglo-Saxon village and at a rescue excavation in Worcester.
  • operation: I spent the majority of the rescue operation below.

Noun used with modifier

  • air-sea: Two Dragonflys were issued to every coastal air station, again replacing the Sea Otter in the air-sea rescue role.
  • crevasse: From the basic knots through to pulley systems and crevasse rescue.
  • hostage: The students will took part in hostage rescue scenarios including abseiling.
  • mountain: The search goes on, using mountain rescue teams.
  • cave: In the early 90s the cave rescue team of the Isere region in France ( SSSI ) also became interested in the problem.
  • helicopter: I've had emails from real life Helicopter rescue pilots saying how they enjoy playing the game, Which is nice.

Preposition: from

oblivion: Most are unpublished, many rescued from oblivion in attics and basements.