Escape

ESCAPE (in mid. Eng. eschape or escape, from the O. Fr. eschapper, modern echapper, and escaper, low Lat. escapium, from ex, out of, and cappa, cape, cloak; cf. for the sense development the Gr. kSwcrflai, literally to put off one's clothes, hence to slip out of, get away), a verb meaning to get away from, especially from impending danger or harm, to avoid capture, to regain one's liberty after capture. As a substantive, " escape," in law, is the regaining of liberty by one in custody contrary to due process of law. Such escape may be by force, if out of prison it is generally known as " prison-breach " or " prisonbreaking," or by the voluntary or negligent act of the custodian. Where the escape is caused by the force or fraud of others it is termed " rescue " (q.v.). " Escape " is used in botany of a cultivated plant found growing wild. The word is also used of a means of escape, e.g. " fire-escape," and of a loss or leakage of gas, current of electricity or water.