rescue

[ res-kyoo ]

verb (used with object)

, res·cued, res·cu·ing.

1. to free or deliver from confinement, danger, or difficulty: She rescued me from an awkward conversation.

   The police were able to rescue the hostages in time.

   She rescued me from an awkward conversation.

   Synonyms: salvage, recover, extricate, ransom, redeem, save, release, liberate, emancipate

2. Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody.

noun

1. the act of rescuing.

   Synonyms: emancipation, redemption, release, deliverance, liberation

2. the act of rescuing animals from danger, abuse, or neglect, as the adoption of stray and abandoned animals from an animal shelter, or the protection of wild animals in an animal sanctuary:

   Animal rescue requires cooperation between animal control agencies and shelters.

3. a group or organization that participates in such animal welfare activities: breed-specific rescues.

   your local rescue;

   breed-specific rescues.

4. a domestic animal adopted from an animal shelter or other animal welfare group:

   Our new puppy is a rescue!

adjective

1. of or relating to someone or something trained or equipped to rescue:

   The county's three certified rescue dogs and their handlers searched for earthquake survivors in the rubble.

2. of or relating to a domestic animal adopted or available for adoption from an animal shelter or other animal welfare group:

   rescue puppies and kittens looking for loving families.

rescue

/ ˈrɛskjuː /

verb

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

noun

1. 1. the act or an instance of rescuing
   2. ( as modifier )

      a rescue party

2. the forcible removal of a person from legal custody
3. law the forcible seizure of goods or property

Derived Forms

• ˈrescuer, noun
• ˈrescuable, adjective

Other Words From

• rescu·a·ble adjective
• rescue·less adjective
• rescu·er noun
• non·rescue noun
• quasi-rescued adjective
• un·rescu·a·ble adjective
• un·rescued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rescue¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb rescuen, from Old French rescourre, equivalent to re- + escourre “to shake, drive out, remove,” from Latin excutere ( ex- + -cutere, combining form of quatere “to shake”); re-, ex- ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rescue¹

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

Example Sentences

Storm surges can flood buildings, trapping people inside or forcing them onto roofs, where they wait for rescue.

From Science News For Students

There’s no domestic champion that’s going to come to Huawei’s rescue on the semiconductor side.

From Fortune

He has called in the entire state’s National Guard to help rescue people stuck in the storm’s path.

From Popular-Science

Yet old property hands are closely watching the implications both for Simon and its rivals, especially as it eyes yet more rescue bids.

From Ozy

He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country.

From Fortune

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

Then they set sail for open water, where they were assured someone would rescue them.

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

From this one source of misery, where was a promise or a chance of a final rescue?

From Project Gutenberg

Would Hodson, knowing the exceeding importance of his mission, have turned to rescue a servant or raise a fallen horse?

From Project Gutenberg

The porter of the firm mercifully interposed to rescue Mr Brammel from his dilemma.

From Project Gutenberg

Others now rushed to the rescue, the artillery men came back, and once more the guns were thundering their defiance.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, in a bitter temper, she stooped again to rescue the bit of discolored paper that had fallen with the pearls.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• extricate
• free
• keep
• liberate
• preserve
• protect
• recapture
• recover
• release
• retrieve
• salvage