emergency
[ih-mur-juh n-see]
- a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
- a state, especially of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event: a weather emergency; a financial emergency.
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- granted, used, or for use in an emergency: an emergency leave; emergency lights.
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Origin of emergency
Synonyms
See more synonyms for emergency on Thesaurus.com1. exigency, extremity, pinch, quandary, plight. Emergency, crisis, straits refer to dangerous situations. An emergency is a situation demanding immediate action: A power failure created an emergency in transportation. A crisis is a vital or decisive turning point in a condition or state of affairs, and everything depends on the outcome of it: Help arrived when affairs had reached a crisis. Strait (usually straits ) suggests a pressing situation, often one of need or want: The family was in desperate straits for food and clothing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for emergency
Contemporary Examples
During an emergency that ratio could be allowed to drop to 8.5 people per orbit.
One specific kind of emergency is at the heart of this, such as when an airplane suffers a loss of stability at night.
Had they been properly trained, they could and should have flown themselves safely out of the emergency.
This suggests that the pilots were overtaken very rapidly by an emergency.
A click sends a user to a statement, a list of passenger nationalities, emergency call-center numbers, and other information.
Historical Examples
As far as we can learn there never was an emergency yet which the life-principle was not equipped to meet.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
Did she have a heart, then, or was it a feminine trait to turn pale in every emergency?
Chip, of the Flying UB. M. Bower
O'Mooney's presence of mind did not forsake him upon this emergency.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
He had not now the advantage of Russell's firmness to support him in this emergency.
Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
She sighed, put it back on the counter, and rose to the emergency.
The Fortune HunterLouis Joseph Vance
emergency
- an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, esp of a danger demanding immediate remedy or action
- (as modifier)an emergency exit
- a patient requiring urgent treatment
- (as modifier)an emergency ward
- state of emergency a condition, declared by a government, in which martial law applies, usually because of civil unrest or natural disaster
- NZ a player selected to stand by to replace an injured member of a team; reserve
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for emergency
n.
"unforeseen occurrence requiring immediate attention," 1630s, from Latin emergens, present participle of emergere (see emerge). Or from emerge + -ency.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper