escrow

American  

[es-kroh, ih-skroh, ih-skroh, es-kroh] / ˈɛs kroʊ, ɪˈskroʊ, ɪˈskroʊ, ˈɛs kroʊ /

noun

1. a contract, deed, bond, or other written agreement deposited with a third person, by whom it is to be delivered to the grantee or promisee on the fulfillment of some condition.

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verb (used with object)

escrows, present (3rd person singular) escrowed, past participle, past escrowing present participle

1. to place in escrow.

   The home seller agrees to escrow the sum of $1000 with his attorney.

idioms

1. in escrow, in the keeping of a third person for delivery to a given party upon the fulfillment of some condition.

escrow British  

/ ɛˈskrəʊ, ˈɛskrəʊ /

noun

1. money, goods, or a written document, such as a contract bond, delivered to a third party and held by him pending fulfilment of some condition

2. the state or condition of being an escrow (esp in the phrase in escrow )

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verb

1. to place (money, a document, etc) in escrow

escrow Cultural  

1. The condition of being ineffective until certain conditions are met. For example, money inherited by a minor might be held in escrow until the heir reaches a certain age. Homeowners with mortgages frequently pay money for insurance and taxes on their home into an escrow account each month. The holder of the mortgage then pays the insurance and tax bills out of the escrow account when the bills are due.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• escrowing
  present
• escrowed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• escrow
  simple
• escrows
  simple
• have escrowed
  perfect
• has escrowed
  perfect
• are escrowing
  progressive
• am escrowing
  progressive
• is escrowing
  progressive
• have been escrowing
  perfect progressive
• has been escrowing
  perfect progressive

Past

• escrowed
  simple
• had escrowed
  perfect
• was escrowing
  progressive
• were escrowing
  progressive
• had been escrowing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will escrow
  simple
• will have escrowed
  perfect
• will be escrowing
  progressive
• will have been escrowing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of escrow

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Anglo-French escro(u)we, from Old French escro(u)e; see scroll

Explanation

If you buy a house, you'll have to put money in escrow, which means you give it to a third party (like a bank), while the seller actually brings the deed and signs it over to you. The word escrow comes from the Old French escroue meaning "scrap, roll of parchment." Think of an escrow as a deed rolled up and delivered to a trusted person who hangs onto it, only giving out the money on the deed after the person who's supposed to get it does whatever he agreed to do. It's a safe way to do business, and prevents sellers from running off with your money before they've given you what you bought.

Example Sentences

Escrow companies that work with multiple surrogates can sit on millions of dollars at a time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025

The pipeline company's money would be funneled to law enforcement and other government agencies via a Public Safety Escrow Account managed by the state.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2023

Hamrin, formerly known as Tammy A. Cheek, was the president of Preferred Escrow & Title in Virginia Beach.

From Washington Times • Mar. 16, 2021

As was the drama over the "Escrow scandal" in 2014, which forced two senior ministers and the attorney-general out of office and implicated big business people, politicians and judges.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2019

This is known as a Deed in Escrow.

From Business Hints for Men and Women by Calhoun, Alfred Rochefort