escort

American  

[es-kawrt, ih-skawrt] / ˈɛs kɔrt, ɪˈskɔrt /

noun

1. a group of persons, or a single person, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, or courtesy.

   An escort of sailors accompanied the queen.

2. an armed guard, as a body of soldiers or ships.

   The president traveled with a large escort of motorcycle police.

3. a man or boy who accompanies a woman or girl in public, as to a social event.

4. a person, especially a woman female escort, but sometimes a man male escort, who is paid to go on a date with a client, and usually to engage in sex acts for money.

5. protection, safeguard, or guidance on a journey.

   to travel without escort.

   Synonyms:

   convoy

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verb (used with object)

1. to attend or accompany as an escort.

   Synonyms:

   guide, take, chaperone, squire, usher, conduct

escort British  

noun

1. one or more persons, soldiers, vehicles, etc, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, restraint, or as a mark of honour

2. a man or youth who accompanies a woman or girl

   he was her escort for the evening

3. 1. a person, esp a young woman, who may be hired to accompany another for entertainment, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      an escort agency

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verb

1. (tr) to accompany or attend as an escort

Related Words

See accompany.

Other Word Forms

• unescorted adjective
• well-escorted adjective

Etymology

Origin of escort

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Italian scorta, derivative of scorgere “to conduct, guide,” from Vulgar Latin excorrigere (unrecorded); ex- ¹, correct

Example Sentences

"We had pressure from a lot of different directions in terms of having to leave," she said, with her eight-person team departing under an Iraqi escort on March 10.

From Barron's

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Monday in a Fox News interview that the U.S. or a multinational group could escort tankers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Men and women wore pins that said Legendary Grandparent next to their name and escorted other confused teens around.

From Literature

In addition, under the new policy, "all journalist access to the Pentagon will require escort by authorized Department personnel."

From Barron's

It was escorted by a Russian navy ship across the English Channel, but the two vessels parted ways when the tanker entered the Atlantic Ocean, according to the British Royal Navy.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accompany
• bring
• carry
• drag
• guide
• protect
• steer
• usher