Definitions
01to save from danger
B1 · Intermediate
v. to save someone from a dangerous or harmful situation.
v. to save or deliver from violence, danger, or harm. Transitive — requires a direct object.
“The coastguard arrived just in time to rescue the sailors from the sinking boat.”
“Emergency services worked through the night to rescue residents trapped in the upper floors of the apartment complex following the flash flood.”
02to adopt an animal
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. to take a pet from a shelter or a bad home to give it a better life.
v. to adopt a domestic animal from a shelter or a situation of neglect.
“They decided to rescue a greyhound from the local animal shelter.”
“The family chose to rescue an older dog with special needs, providing it with a stable environment for its final years.”
Synonyms
03to fix a failure
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to save a situation or a project that is going wrong.
v. to achieve a positive outcome or restore functionality under difficult conditions or after a failure.
“The chef managed to rescue the sauce by adding a little more cream.”
“The marketing team scrambled to rescue the campaign after the initial launch received unexpectedly negative feedback from the target demographic.”
Antonyms
04the act of saving
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of saving someone from danger.
n. an instance or episode of saving someone or something from a hazardous situation.
Español:rescate
“The mountain rescue took several hours because of the heavy snow.”
“The daring sea rescue was captured on film by a bystander, highlighting the extreme risks faced by the helicopter crew.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rescue” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to rescue the hikers
“A specialized team will attempt to rescue the hikers stranded on the mountain peak.”
verb + infinitive
02. dramatically rescue the passengers
“Firefighters dramatically rescued the passengers from the burning wreckage just in time.”
adv + verb + noun
03. rescue the company from bankruptcy
“The new CEO managed to rescue the company from bankruptcy by securing a massive loan.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Noun
04. come to the rescue
“I forgot my wallet, but luckily my brother came to the rescue and paid for the meal.”
verb + prep + noun
05. daring rescue mission
“The special forces launched a daring rescue mission to free the hostages.”
adj + noun + noun
06. rescue operation
“The coast guard coordinated a large-scale rescue operation after the ship sent a distress signal.”
noun + noun
Preposition
07. to the rescue
“When the engine failed in the middle of the highway, a passing mechanic came to the rescue.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Winder and Deivi joined rescue efforts, but for three days had nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat.” “José Daniel Hernández joined rescue and debris-removal efforts on the first day.” Etymology
From Middle English rescouen, from Old French rescoure, rescurre, rescorre; from Latin prefix re- (“re-”) + excutere (“to shake or drive out”), from ex (“out”) + quatiō (“to shake”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/rescue
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0