verb / noun

rescue

To save someone or something from danger, or the act of saving.

Firefighters rescue a family trapped inside a burning house.

Etymology

The older verb concerns freeing someone from danger or capture. English retains both that action and, as a noun, an instance of saving.

More examples

  • A passing boat rescued the swimmers from the rough water.
  • The rescue took three hours because of the steep terrain.
  • Volunteers are rescuing animals stranded by the flood.

Forms

rescue · rescues · rescued · rescuing

rescuer noun — Someone who saves others from danger.

Similar words

save
Broader than rescue; also means preventing loss or damage.
free
Emphasizes release from confinement rather than removal from danger.
extricate
Emphasizes getting someone out of a trap or entanglement.