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

One of the couple’s fears is that Mushie is on her own and waiting for them to come and rescue her, Sidhu said.

From Los Angeles Times

When penning his manifesto for this year's elections, Mahama told voters Ghana "is headed in the wrong direction and needs to be rescued".

From BBC

And no more rescuing Speaker Mike Johnson from the wrath of the “Freedom Caucus”; let them turn the House back into a circus if they’re so moved.

From Salon

"The rescue activities will continue day and night until we get the last person saved," he said.

From BBC

Over the years, the song's lyrics have been criticised for their patronising portrayal of Africa as a barren land that needed rescuing by Western intervention.

From BBC

Related Words

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