escaping
UK[ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ]US[ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ]
v
(present participle) The act of getting free from confinement or control; breaking loose.
v
(present participle) The act of avoiding something undesirable or harmful.
Morpheme Breakdown
es
cap
ing
es
out
cap
take, seize
ing
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'escaping' originates from the Latin 'excappare', a compound of 'ex-' (out) and 'cappa' (cloak, cape). The literal sense was 'to slip out of one's cape', evoking the image of leaving a garment behind to break free from a pursuer's grasp. This concrete action evolved into the broader, abstract meaning of getting free from any form of confinement or restraint. The modern participle 'escaping' retains the core logic of its roots, describing the ongoing action of removing oneself from a situation, much like the original act of slipping away from a physical hold.
Analysis
Structure: es (out) + cap (take, seize) + ing (verb suffix)
- es: A variant of the Latin prefix 'ex-', meaning 'out of, from'.
- cap: From Latin 'capere', meaning 'to take, seize, hold'.
- ing: A suffix forming the present participle of verbs in English.
Examples
The prisoner was caught while escaping over the prison wall.
She dreams of escaping the city for a quiet life in the countryside.
Gas was escaping from a small crack in the pipe.