evacuate

[ih-vak-yoo-eyt]

verb (used with object)

evacuated, evacuating 

1. to leave empty; vacate.

   Synonyms: drain, void, empty

2. to remove (persons or things) from a place, as a dangerous place or disaster area, for reasons of safety or protection.

   to evacuate the inhabitants of towns in the path of a flood.

3. to remove persons from (a city, town, building, area, etc.) for reasons of safety.

   to evacuate the embassy after a bomb threat.

4. Military.

   1. to remove (troops, wounded soldiers, civilians, etc.) from a war zone, combat area, etc.

   2. to withdraw from or quit (a town, fort, etc., that has been occupied).

5. Physiology.,  to discharge or eject as through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.

6. to deprive.

   Fear evacuated their minds of reason.

7. to produce a vacuum in.

verb (used without object)

evacuated, evacuating 

1. to leave a place because of military or other threats.

2. to void; defecate.

evacuate

/ ɪˈvækjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. (also intr) to withdraw or cause to withdraw from (a place of danger) to a place of greater safety

2. to make empty by removing the contents of

3. (also intr) physiol

   1. to eliminate or excrete (faeces); defecate

   2. to discharge (any waste product) from (a part of the body)

4. (tr) to create a vacuum in (a bulb, flask, reaction vessel, etc)

Other Word Forms

• reevacuate verb
• unevacuated adjective
• evacuative adjective
• evacuation noun
• evacuator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ēvacuātus “emptied out” (past participle of ēvacuāre, equivalent to ē- + vacuāre ); e- ¹, vacuum, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

C16: from Latin ēvacuāre to void, from vacuus empty

Related Words

• abandon 
• depart 
• desert 
• discharge 
• displace 
• expel 
• leave 
• move out 
• pull out 
• remove 
• vacate 
• withdraw