escort

[es-kawrt, ih-skawrt]

noun

1. a group of persons, or a single person, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, or courtesy.

   An escort of sailors accompanied the queen.

2. an armed guard, as a body of soldiers or ships.

   The president traveled with a large escort of motorcycle police.

3. a man or boy who accompanies a woman or girl in public, as to a social event.

4. a person, especially a woman female escort, but sometimes a man male escort, who is paid to go on a date with a client, and usually to engage in sex acts for money.

5. protection, safeguard, or guidance on a journey.

   to travel without escort.

   Synonyms: convoy

verb (used with object)

1. to attend or accompany as an escort.

   Synonyms: guide, take, chaperone, squire, usher, conduct

escort

noun

1. one or more persons, soldiers, vehicles, etc, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, restraint, or as a mark of honour

2. a man or youth who accompanies a woman or girl

   he was her escort for the evening

3. 1. a person, esp a young woman, who may be hired to accompany another for entertainment, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      an escort agency

verb

1. (tr) to accompany or attend as an escort

Other Word Forms

• unescorted adjective
• well-escorted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of escort¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Italian scorta, derivative of scorgere “to conduct, guide,” from Vulgar Latin excorrigere (unrecorded); ex- ¹, correct

Word History and Origins

Origin of escort¹

C16: from French escorte, from Italian scorta, from scorgere to guide, from Latin corrigere to straighten; see _correct

Synonym Study

See accompany.

Example Sentences

He also said he was Michael the Angel of Death, referencing the Archangel Michael, who is tasked with escorting souls to the afterlife, prosecutors said.

From Los Angeles Times

She has hired attorneys in both countries to press their case and even offered to cover the costs of ICE agents escorting them to the Canada-US border, to no avail.

From BBC

He said he was taken into custody for questioning and later escorted to hospital after a health check revealed he was suffering from high blood pressure levels.

From BBC

Israeli authorities escorted the activists to the port of Ashdod before deporting them from the country.

From BBC

The patrol that had been escorting the officials "immediately returned fire" and no one was injured, Guyana's security forces said.

From BBC

Related Words

• accompany 
• bring 
• carry 
• drag 
• guide 
• protect 
• steer 
• usher