rescue

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈreskjuː/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: res‧cue

Verb

Plain form rescue

Third-person singular rescues

Past tense rescued

Past participle rescued

Present participle rescuing

1. If you rescue someone, you save them from any violence, emergency, or evil.
   • Synonyms: free and deliver
   • Antonyms: abandon, ignore, imperil and endanger

   The lifeguard jumped into the swimming pool to rescue the drowning woman.

2. If you rescue someone, you free them from a prison or some other physical restraint.
   • Synonyms: liberate, release and unshackle
   • Antonyms: abandon, ignore, enslave, incarcerate, bind, constrict, hamper, inhibit and obstruct

   After capturing the enemy army, they rescued the prisoners.

3. If you rescue something, you take it back using force.
   • Synonyms: recapture and retake
   • Antonyms: abandon, ignore and kidnap

Related words

• rescuee
• rescuer

Noun

Singular rescue

Plural rescues

1. A rescue is a saving of someone or something.

   We saw his rescue from the burning house.

2. A rescue is a freeing of someone or something.

   The soldiers rescue of their target from the prison was all they could talk about.