WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
res•cue /ˈrɛskyu/USA pronunciation
v., -cued, -cu•ing, n.
v. [~ + object]
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025v. [~ + object]
- to free from danger;
save from harm:a plan to rescue the hostages.
n. [countable]
- the act of rescuing.
res•cue
(res′kyo̅o̅),USA pronunciation v., -cued, -cu•ing, n.
v.t.
n.
res′cu•a•ble, adj.
res′cue•less, adj.
res′cu•er, n.
v.t.
- to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil.
- Lawto liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody.
n.
- the act of rescuing.
- Latin excutere (ex- ex-1 + -cutere, combining form of quatere to shake); (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal
- Old French rescourre, equivalent. to re- re- + escourre to shake, drive out, remove
- (verb, verbal) Middle English rescuen 1300–50
res′cue•less, adj.
res′cu•er, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged liberate, release, save, redeem, ransom, extricate, recover.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged liberation, deliverance, release, redemption, recovery.
'rescuer' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):