flee
[verb]
Synonyms: run away, bolt, depart, escape, fly, make one's getaway, scarper (Brit. slang), take flight, take off (informal), take to one's heels, turn tail

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Contrasted words: stand, stay
Related Idioms: take a (runout) powder
Related Words: avoid, elude, evade, shun

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English Thesaurus: escape, get away, break free/break away, flee, get out, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

flee /fliː/ verb (past tense and past participle fled /fled/) [intransitive and transitive] written
[Language: Old English; Origin: flean]
to leave somewhere very quickly, in order to escape from danger:
His attackers turned and fled.
Masaari spent six months in prison before fleeing the country.
flee to/from/into
Many German artists fled to America at the beginning of World War II.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

flee
verb
ADV. abroad, across the border, into exile Hundreds of refugees fled across the border to escape the fighting.
north, south, etc. | in panic
VERB + FLEE be forced to, have to They were forced to flee the country.
try to | manage to | turn They turned and fled when they saw the gang of youths approaching them.
PREP. from She dropped the phone and fled from the office.
into/to They fled to Britain when the war started.
PHRASES flee empty-handed When the police arrived the burglars fled empty-handed.
flee for your life She had to flee for her life when soldiers attacked her village.
flee in panic/terror The children fled in terror as the hay caught fire.
flee like the wind When danger threatens, collect your possessions and flee like the wind.
flee to safety The family managed to flee to safety.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

escape to leave a place when someone is trying to catch you or stop you, or when there is a dangerous situation:
The thief escaped through an upstairs window.
She managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.
get away to escape from someone who is chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you will be caught. Get away is more informal than escape:
The robbers got away but left plenty of clues at the scene.
Don’t let him get away!
break free/break away to escape from someone who is holding you:
She broke free and started running.
flee written to leave somewhere very quickly in order to escape from danger:
Many people were forced to flee the country.
The two men fled before police arrived.
get out to escape from a building or room:
I was locked in the room and couldn’t get out.
break out to escape from prison:
The jail is so secure that no one has ever broken out of it.
abscond formal to escape from a prison or institution where you are supposed to stay:
Three prisoners who absconded have still not been found.
He absconded from a psychiatric hospital.
plan an escape
We planned our escape carefully and waited for just the right moment.
prevent an escape (also foil an escape formal) (=stop an escape)
Walker grabbed her firmly by the wrist, preventing any chance of escape.
make your escape formal (=to escape)
I had to make my escape before the guards returned.
an escape attempt/bid
She made several unsuccessful escape attempts before finally getting away.
an escape plan
You should have an escape plan in the event of a fire.
an escape route
All their escape routes had been blocked.
have a narrow escape (=to only just avoid danger or difficulties)
The team had a narrow escape from relegation last season.
have a lucky escape
We had a lucky escape when a tree crashed through the ceiling.
have a miraculous escape (=be extremely lucky to escape)
Ellie had miraculous escape after a firework exploded in her hand.
a means of escape (=a way of escaping)
She searched in vain for a means of escape.
a chance/hope/possibility of escape
The river offered our only hope of escape.
make good your escape literary (=to succeed in escaping)
Dillinger handcuffed the deputy to the desk and made good his escape.
sb’s escape route from something (=someone’s only chance of getting away from a bad situation)
Bankruptcy offered his only escape route from mounting debt.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲