rescue

[res-kyoo]

See more synonyms for rescue on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), res·cued, res·cu·ing.

to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil.
Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody.

noun

the act of rescuing.

adjective

of or relating to someone or something trained or equipped to rescue: a rescue dog.

Origin of rescue

1300–50; (v.) Middle English rescuen < Old French rescourre, equivalent to re- re- + escourre to shake, drive out, remove < Latin excutere (ex- ex-¹ + -cutere, combining form of quatere to shake); (noun) Middle English, derivative of the v.

Related formsres·cu·a·ble, adjectiveres·cue·less, adjectiveres·cu·er, nounnon·res·cue, nounqua·si-res·cued, adjectiveun·res·cu·a·ble, adjectiveun·res·cued, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for rescue on Thesaurus.com

1. liberate, release, save, redeem, ransom, extricate, recover. 3. liberation, deliverance, release, redemption, recovery.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rescue

Contemporary Examples

He was killed by his captors during the U.S. rescue attempt in Yemen in December.
ISIS Fight Has a Spy Shortage, Intel Chair Says
Kimberly Dozier
January 2, 2015
As night fell, the rescue operation slowed and sea conditions worsened.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 29, 2014
It took 12 hours to rescue just 100 passengers overnight Sunday.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 29, 2014
But the ships deployed already have been involved in the rescue of more than 1,000 people during their first month of operation.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 15, 2014
And eight months on, anger lingers over the ineffective attempts to rescue the missing schoolgirls.
The New Face of Boko Haram’s Terror: Teen Girls
Nina Strochlic
December 13, 2014

Historical Examples

“He fled, when Stephen made in to the rescue of my father,” said Dennet.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
Mr. Gladstone said that the policy of the Government was to "rescue and retire."
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
The Greeks rushed to the rescue, while all Europe held aloof.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
What might not be happening to Corney, she thought, while she was on the way to his rescue!
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Alleyne stared open-eyed at this tigress who had sprung so suddenly to his rescue.
The White Company
Arthur Conan Doyle

British Dictionary definitions for rescue

rescue

verb -cues, -cuing or -cued (tr)

to bring (someone or something) out of danger, attack, harm, etc; deliver or save
to free (a person) from legal custody by force
law to seize (goods or property) by force

noun

1. the act or an instance of rescuing
2. (as modifier)a rescue party
the forcible removal of a person from legal custody
law the forcible seizure of goods or property

Derived Formsrescuable, adjectiverescuer, noun

Word Origin

C14: rescowen, from Old French rescourre, from re- + escourre to pull away, from Latin excutere to shake off, from quatere to shake

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 rescue

n.

late 14c., from rescue (v.). Earlier noun was rescous (early 14c.), from Old French rescous.

v.

c.1300, from stem of Old French rescorre "protect, keep safe; free, deliver" (Modern French recourre), from re-, intensive prefix (see re-), + escourre "to cast off, discharge," from Latin excutere "to shake off, drive away," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + -cutere, combining form of quatere "to shake" (see quash). Related: Rescued; rescuing.

rescue

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}rescue

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for rescue

Contemporary Examples

He was killed by his captors during the U.S. rescue attempt in Yemen in December.

As night fell, the rescue operation slowed and sea conditions worsened.

It took 12 hours to rescue just 100 passengers overnight Sunday.

But the ships deployed already have been involved in the rescue of more than 1,000 people during their first month of operation.

And eight months on, anger lingers over the ineffective attempts to rescue the missing schoolgirls.

Historical Examples

“He fled, when Stephen made in to the rescue of my father,” said Dennet.

Mr. Gladstone said that the policy of the Government was to "rescue and retire."

The Greeks rushed to the rescue, while all Europe held aloof.

What might not be happening to Corney, she thought, while she was on the way to his rescue!

Alleyne stared open-eyed at this tigress who had sprung so suddenly to his rescue.

rescue

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for rescue

n.

v.

Origin of rescue